


Edroar the Angry Lion

by TropicalSorbet



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Alpha Males, Alternate Universe - Human, Boss/Employee Relationship, F/M, Humor, Massage, Opposites Attract, Romance, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Workplace Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-06-10
Updated: 2012-07-04
Packaged: 2017-11-07 10:11:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 108,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/429857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TropicalSorbet/pseuds/TropicalSorbet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edroar the Angry Lion frightens all the girls and boys at Cullen Publishing with his loud roar. Will his new massage therapist Bella Swan run away like all the rest, or can she tame this savage beast?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Plan A

 

 

 **A/N:** This was originally planned to be a contest entry. I missed the deadline, but Edroar just wouldn't leave me the hell alone. He's a TYRANT! And so this tale begins….

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl with no life.*

* * *

_**If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear.**_

_**\- Winnie the Pooh**_

* * *

"Good luck Bella!" Angela called out to me, nervously, as I closed the door to our apartment.

I was headed to my first day on the job, as Edward Cullen's personal massage therapist. Apparently, that was something I was going to need lots of luck with. I heard the countless stories about Mr. Cullen, though most of his employees called him  _Edroar the Angry Lion_ , behind his back of course.

That was the name of a children's book a group of authors at Cullen Publishing anonymously wrote about him...with a poison pen.

It was the story of an angry lion, named Edroar, who used his mighty roar to frighten everyone away, leaving him sad and alone in the jungle. The underground story was a favorite amongst his employees.

According to Angela, the book was practically biographical, since Mr. Cullen would literally roar at his staff when angered, causing all the girls and boys at Cullen Publishing to scamper off shivering in fear.

From what I'd been told he caused at least two girls to flee his office in tears each week.

Angela was usually one of them. I couldn't imagine what she could possibly do to anger him. That girl was as sweet as sugar, and had the patience of a saint.

Unlike me, who always seemed to earn the reputation of being 'the bitch'. I often wondered why women were automatically considered a bitch if they weren't sugary sweet.

It had always been that way for me. I just didn't have it in me to be warm and fuzzy. I never squealed in delight, gave air kisses to my friends, or giggled innocently at a cute boy.

I was much better known for my crude gestures and devilish snickers. Locker room humor always made me laugh the hardest. There wasn't much that could make me blush.

Even my best friend Jasper gave up trying to find my softer side. He loved to tell me I had the face of an angel…and the mouth of a sailor.

I wouldn't say I was quite that bad.

It seemed my personality was a major turn off for most guys. So after a totally disastrous dating record, I decided it was time to end my search for Mr. Right. I finally figured out that some girls were just meant to be alone.

So there I was, driving to Cullen Publishing, at the crack of dawn, Pink's voice blasting from my radio, a Red Bull in my hand. I was freakishly sensitive to caffeine. I hardly ever touched the stuff, but I wanted to be on full alert that morning.

I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, centering myself. I wondered what the day would bring. One thing was for sure, it would bring a paycheck, which I desperately needed.

I couldn't let Angela pick up my share of the rent. Lucky for me the job came along at the perfect time.

When I first met Angela, I was just another starving artist. Back then, we worked together at the Cherry Street Coffee House. Occasionally I sang at local clubs, and by occasionally, I mean rarely.

It was hard to get a decent gig in Seattle without a connection, and I refused to sell out and work weddings and bat mitzvahs.

Alright…I may have worked a wedding or two, but it was just for networking purposes, I swear. It didn't take long for me to realize I needed a Plan B.

That's what massage therapy was for me. After slinging coffee for two years, I took some courses to be a massage therapist. You know…just in case I needed something to fall back on.

It was now four years later, and I finally accepted the fact that Plan B had somehow turned into Plan A.

_Meh…Who needs fortune and fame anyway_ , I chided, as I turned the radio all the way up.

Music was always more like a religion for me. To capitalize on something so sacred just felt wrong. At least that's what I told myself when I finally decided to give up my dream of being a professional singer.

But that didn't stop me from indulging my  _inner rock star_  every now and then, she was still alive and kicking, and sometimes she just  _had_ to be heard.

As a matter of fact, it was just as Pink and I were in the middle of a pretty kickass rendition of  _Don't Let Me Get Me_  that the always polite and patient voice of my GPS announced that I arrived.

_Why…yes I certainly have._

The employment agency told me the building was 'quite nice'. Clearly, that was an understatement. Sleek waterfalls and cascading fountains decorated the exterior of Cullen Publishing's palatial headquarters.

Bright and colorful flowerbeds enhanced the already stunning grounds. I think I even saw a butterfly smile at me as it flew by my window. It looked like the Disneyworld of Washington for Christ's sake.

When I parked my truck I got a few odd stares.

Yeah, it was a big red hunk of junk, so what, it had personality. If I had a dollar for every Beamer or Benz I saw on the road, I'd be a millionaire. My truck was one of a kind, an original. If it were a painting, it would be the Mona Lisa.

Maybe it wasn't very pretty, but it was priceless to me. After blowing a few obnoxious kisses to the snooty parking lot gawkers, I made my way to the human resource department.

The inside of the building was just as mythically charming as the outside. Sparkling chandeliers and magnificent portraits of exotic landscapes trimmed the halls.

I quickly checked my appearance in the mirror that framed the elevator, and frowned at the state of my hair. I usually liked to keep it up when I worked. I stood there glaring at my stringy brown hair, willing it to behave.

The elevator opened and a group of corporate twenty-something's filed out chattering to one another. I patiently waited for them to pass by before I got in.

As the elevator whisked me away I kept my eyes focused on the numbers rising steadily above the doors.

I really hoped this day wasn't going to be as horrible as Angela prepared me for. Surely I could handle the overbearing, white collar, bully that she described to me in graphic detail on numerous occasions.

I remembered the look of concern on her face when I told her I got the job as Mr. Cullen's massage therapist.

Angela told me about the position, so I guess she somehow felt responsible if things were to go badly. Even though I assured her over and over again that there was nothing to worry about.

That girl worried about everything… again… unlike me.

It seemed I was always calming her down, over insignificant things, a traffic ticket, a first date, a lost shoe. I often wondered if she'd consider taking Xanax. Angela worked at Cullen Publishing for five years, they hired her directly out of college and not to boast, but she landed some pretty well known authors for them.

Now it was time I made a mark for myself.

I exited the elevator, and found my way to the office of Miss Denali, head of personnel. I knocked on her door and was warmly greeted by a tall slender woman with light blonde hair.

"You must be Isabella, welcome, thank you so much for coming in on such short notice. I'm Tanya," she shook my hand vigorously.

When the employment agency called to offer me the position that Friday, they asked me to start work on Monday, which was fine by me. I was just about down to my last dollar.

"You can call me Bella. Really, it's no problem at all. I'm glad to be here."

I was very glad to be there. They were paying me practically twice as much as my last job. I worked at a small spa, Happy Hands. It was pleasant enough and walking distance from my apartment.

Unfortunately, due to mismanagement they went out of business. I enjoyed being a massage therapist, even more than I expected. I didn't talk to my clients very often, yet they still felt a deep connection to me.

I was never good at small talk. Though I always had a morbid curiosity to find out what made people tick. It always amazed me how much I could learn about someone just by giving them a massage.

Tanya clapped her hands in delight. "Excellent, the agency sent me your paperwork so I won't need you to fill out too many forms." Her tone was bright and cheery. "Oh, and don't worry, I won't bore you with the company's introduction video. How about you promise me you'll watch it on our web site." She winked.

"Yes, of course I will." I gave a playful wink in response.

I liked her. She seemed like a girl that didn't take life too seriously. I got the feeling she knew how to have a good time.

"Take a seat Bella, and we'll go over a few things." She ushered me into her office, closed her door, and returned to her desk.

I sat down and instantly started looking around the room for photos and other personal objects. I was a snoop by nature. It was something I just couldn't control.

"So, I assume the agency went over the job responsibilities with you, but I'd like to discuss them to avoid any confusion." She explained as she sat down.

"Sure." I leaned back in my chair. It was warm, as if someone had just been sitting in it.

"Your main responsibility above all else, is to provide Mr. Cullen with massage therapy. He's actually quite militant about it." Her tone became more serious. She crossed her long, sun kissed, legs and spun her chair a bit so she was directly facing me. "He'll expect two to three massages per day depending on his mood. Always one at eight a.m. sharp, the other two are based on his schedule. You'll need to confer with his personal assistant quite often." She shuffled some papers around on her desk, as though she were looking for something. "Did the agency mention travel, I hope?"

"Uh...yes. They said I was expected to travel with Mr. Cullen as needed."

"Okay great, that's a big relief, that's posed a problem for us in the past," then she mumbled, "among other things," under her breath.

"Actually, I'm really looking forward to traveling. I'll gladly leave Seattle any chance I can get."

I lowered my eyes, feeling slightly ashamed to admit that I'd never actually been out of state before. The farthest I'd been away from Seattle, was the tiny town of Forks. Which, I left the day after I graduated high school…vowing never to return.

"Seriously, you have no idea how great it is to have you here, Bella," she was still shuffling through papers as she spoke. Then she stopped abruptly and sternly said, "Now, I must warn you, Mr. Cullen is a tough man to work for. Though he's fair and actually quite generous to his employees, but be advised his expectations are high." Her big blue eyes emphasized the seriousness of her statement.

"Thanks for the warning, but I don't think it will be an issue for me. I plan to do my job to the best of my ability." Even I was impressed by how clear and confident my voice sounded.

She just smiled at me and nodded her head approvingly.

"And don't worry, I'm not looking to be his friend." I added with a sly grin.

"Well good, because that's highly improbable." She paused. "Actually, more like impossible really." She let out a small chuckle. "Oh, forgive me that was very inappropriate." She quickly covered her mouth, as though she'd just said a bad word.

"Pfft. Pleeease." I waved my hand in front of my face briskly. "If there's one thing I can't stand, it's an  _appropriate_  conversation. It's actually pretty refreshing to find someone in the corporate machine that isn't uptight and stuffy." I admitted honestly. "Hopefully it's not highly improbable for us to be friends?"

A slight smirk ran across my face as I teased her, trying to lighten the mood a bit. The poor girl looked so worried about making a simple little joke about the  _dreaded_ Mr. Cullen.

"I can see already, that will be more of a sure thing." She tilted her head to the side and grinned warmly at me. "I hope you'll come to me with any concerns you may have here."

"Hopefully I won't need to bother you, but thanks, I will if I need too."

"Oh, one more thing, I almost forgot." She pointed a perfectly manicured finger at me. "We're going to try something new with you. Previously your services would strictly be available to Mr. Cullen only. During the time he wasn't receiving a massage his therapist was literally sitting around just twiddling her thumbs." She twiddled her thumbs to demonstrate what I would be doing.

I watched as she twiddled, and then suddenly let out a very unladylike laugh, it sounded more like a cackle really, but I couldn't help it. It came over me without warning.

I looked away uncomfortably for a moment to regain my composure. Unfortunately, I've always suffered with laughter control issues.

Tanya glanced at me from the corner of her eye, and her smile broadened as she continued, "Mr. Cullen recognized the unproductive situation this created," she hesitated, as if she were about to reveal some really exciting news. "Given that the massage room is centrally located in our health club, Mr. Cullen decided to offer massage therapy on a trial basis to the rest of the company," she announced triumphantly, as though he had cured cancer.

The agency hadn't mentioned that to me. I took a moment to calculate how it could possibly work.

"I have a question," I interrupted before she could continue.

"Yes of course."

"Well… not that I don't love what I do, but I couldn't help but notice the large workforce here and if I'm the only massage thera-"

"No...no, oh god, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to imply that you'd be a personal massage therapist for the entire company." She was shaking her head as she spoke, to further confirm her words, "We have well over a thousand employees. We'd need over a hundred of you to compensate our workforce."

I leaned back in my seat, imagining the kind of trouble a hundred of me could get into.

"I should have made clear that getting a massage from you will be part of an incentive plan, to improve moral. Trust me it will be no easy accomplishment." She stated with certainty. "I assure you only the brightest and most tenacious employees are rewarded at Cullen Publishing." Her hand was up, as if to solemnly swear.

I gave a wry smile, this time controlling my laughter. Though, it always lurked beneath the surface.

"This plan will serve two purposes actually. It will be a motivational tool for the staff, as well as keeping you busy in your downtime."

Tanya was beaming so much I wondered if the incentive plan had actually been her idea.

Her face grew troubled. "I must tell you, Mr. Cullen has warned, this must not in any way hamper your performance or infringe on his needs, which must always remain your top priority." She did a slight impersonation of him during the warning, though I don't think she realized it.

"Oh, well that sounds reasonable," I paused a few moments before reluctantly adding, "I've never actually worked as a personal massage therapist before, and honesty I was thinking how odd it might be to have just one client."

She brought her finger to her chin and thought about what I said. "Yes, I can see your point. Just please remember that Mr. Cullen comes before all others." Her full lips made a slight frown. "If he's unhappy…everyone's unhappy." She began to roll her eyes, and then seemed to catch herself.

She cleared her throat nervously, handed me some forms to fill out, and led me to a desk in the reception area of her department with instructions to knock on her door as soon as I finished.

It didn't take long to complete the forms. The standard crap. Corporate America was like one giant cookie cutter to me.

_Same old… same old_

I couldn't bitch about it though, that would be hypocritical, because there I sat, selling myself out for the money. It was damn good money too.

I let out a gloomy sigh, thinking of how disgusted my inner rock star was with me for not sticking it to 'the man'.

I knocked on Tanya's door, she was there in an instant, took my papers, and tossed them onto her cluttered desk.

"Alright then, I'll give you a brief tour of the building before I bring you to Mr. Cullen." Her smile was dazzling.

Man, were her teeth blindingly white. I had yet to find a physical flaw on her. Normally, that fact alone would cause me to hate her intensely, but I just couldn't do it.

The next hour was spent mingling with various personnel. They seemed friendly enough. Inviting faces and warm pleasantries were showered on me. It was all very cheerful until Tanya gave them my job title.

The minute she told them I was Mr. Cullen's, personal massage therapist it was as though she said I had a terminal illness.

"Oh…I'm sure you'll be fine." One girl said, with a worried look on her face.

"Hang in there." Cried a small, dark haired, woman, as she hugged me tightly.

I couldn't help but wonder, what was with these people, being so frightened of one man.

_How ridiculous._

She led me away from the cluster of cubicles we were in, and down a long corridor.

"Are you ready to meet the big guy?" Her long legs moved swiftly down the hall. She gave a friendly wink to the mail carrier as we passed him by.

"I guess about as ready as I'll ever be. Is he expecting me?" My brow creased curiously, and then I realized what a moronic question that was.

_No Bella, he's not expecting you…you're a surprise massage therapist._

"I mean…expecting me right now. Do I have an appointment to see him?" I quickly elaborated, hoping I didn't come off as nervous.

Honestly, I wasn't nervous…much. Maybe a bit apprehensive, but who wouldn't be? I was about to meet my new boss, and I seriously needed the job.

Whether I liked it or not, I knew I had to make a good impression. Not that I wasn't up for the challenge. Frankly, my competitive nature had been at full throttle from the moment I was warned about Mr. Cullen's  _high demands_.

I mentally shrugged off my apprehension.

_Tanya said he's fair_

"Yes, you have an appointment with him, and you'll be right on time." She spoke softly, clearly trying to ease my mind.

She glanced at her watch. "There's still some time before the health club opens. Now, as I said before, he'll expect his massage at eight sharp," Again with the stern voice. "You'll report straight to the club tomorrow morning." She flashed me another blinding smile as she pressed the call button on the elevator. "Since it's your first day, I'll send someone to show you around the club when it opens. I think you'll find the atmosphere there slightly different."

A few moments later the elevator dinged and we were off. As the doors slid shut, Tanya was already chit chatting with the people around us.

I gave out a few friendly grins, and used the time to prepare myself.

After some contemplation, I decided that even though I'd heard disheartening things about Mr. Cullen, from a very reliable source, I was going to form my own opinion of him.

I thought again about how I was always labeled 'the bitch'. I certainly wouldn't want anyone to form an opinion of me solely based on other people's judgment.

So, as we rode the elevator up to the top floor, I mentally cleared the slate, giving my new boss the same respect I wanted others to give me.

Before I knew it we were making our way to the main reception area of the executive suite. Did I mention he was the CEO of the company?

It was crazy, me of all people, working for the CEO of a major corporation, a girl that still stored her money inside, Squishy, her stuffed penguin.

Another valiant attempt on my part to cripple big business.

Tanya was stopped briefly by someone to make lunch plans. I didn't hear a word they were saying. Actually, I think I may have had a brief, out of body experience as I soaked up the dreamlike quality of the executive suite.

There were no outer walls to it, only massive windows that served as a gateway to a breathtaking view of the rolling meadow that surrounded the property.

The opulent furnishings gave it a regal look, while somehow still maintaining a modern vibe.

It was all I could do to keep my mouth from hanging open, or my eyes from widening like a child on Christmas morning. It wasn't the colossal display of wealth that had me so entranced.

Believe me, I was far from being a materialistic person. I'd gladly choose dinner at a local pub over a five star restaurant any day.

I'd much rather give my hard earned cash to the struggling owner of a small business than to stuff the wallets of the fat cats of the world, but I had the heart and soul of an artist.

I was deeply affected by beauty wherever I saw it. Whoever created this space had a brilliant and imaginative mind. I stood there simply awed by it.

A lively voice pulled me from my astonished haze.

"Hey Tanya, you're right on time as always." Her smile was playful, and everything about her screamed 'I'm fun and trendy'. "Girl, those shoes are to die for!" The petite girl cried out, while glaring at Tanya's feet. "I'm jealous!"

She actually pouted like a child for a moment with her arms crossed. There was a distinct sparkle about her, as if her mere presence alone increased the energy in the room substantially.

"Thanks, but my shoe fetish is steadily becoming more of a problem really. It's threatening to drain my bank account." Tanya sniped, while lifting the heel of her shoe and narrowing her eyes at it, as though it were the enemy.

We chuckled and then all eyes were suddenly on me.

"This is Miss Brandon, Mr. Cullen's personal assistant." Tanya explained, genially.

"Oh Tanya please." The woman huffed exuberantly. Her bangs flew up from the burst of air she let out. "When has anyone ever called me Miss Brandon? I won't allow it. It's Alice… and you must be Isabella?"

Her animated expressions were killing me. She was hysterical, but I didn't want to laugh in her face, so I desperately fought to hold it in. I struggled with laughter control issues.

My cheeks puffed out, as I frantically tried to swallow my laughter before speaking.

"Yes, but please call me Bella." I awkwardly offered her my hand to shake. She took it and pulled me in for a quick hug instead.

"I'm delighted to meet you, Bella. We'll be spending lots of time together you and I." She smirked, knowingly.

Tanya touched my arm lightly. "Girls, I have to run. Enjoy your first day Bella, and don't hesitate to contact me if you need anything at all." She waved good-bye as she rushed to grab an open elevator.

"Thanks." I called out as the doors closed.

Before I could even turn around, Alice grabbed my hand, and whisked me away.

"Okay, let's get you to Mr. Cullen's office before it's too late." She scrunched her nose, as though she didn't even want to think about what could happen if we were  _too late_.

"Too late?" I wondered aloud.

"Yes, you'll soon learn our boss has no tolerance for tardiness. I learned that lesson the hard way." She let out a cute little sigh.

"Oh, that's fine. I'm always on time."

"Well that will certainly save you a lot of trouble around here. Come on, he's waiting for you."

As Alice led me down the hall, I nosily turned my head to peek in each room we passed. Soon we faced a rather large set of double doors.

She abruptly stopped and whispered, "Your best bet is to nod often and say as little as possible to him. That's what everyone else does, and it works out quite well…for the most part." She seemed to be rehashing an unpleasant memory in her mind.

She lifted her hand and knocked on the door three times.

After a few moments I heard a deep voice commanding us to enter. Alice quickly opened the door, leading me by the hand to the front of a large mahogany desk.

She put a hand on each of my shoulders, and announced joyfully, "Mr. Cullen, this is your new massage therapist, Bella Swan."

Silence…

There was complete silence for an uncomfortable amount of time. I didn't want to blatantly stare at him, yet my nosy nature couldn't help but to eye this infamous man quite thoroughly.

It may sound weird, but the first thing I noticed about him was his hair. It just seemed to contradict all else around him.

You couldn't … not… notice it.

It was completely disheveled. Strands of it were poking out in all directions. Even the color of it was unclear. I saw shades of brown, gold and even touches of bronze sweeping through it.

Curiously my eyes moved lower, down to his face.

I flinched from the fierce look his haunted green eyes were giving me. Instinctively I turned away from the sheer intensity of his fiery gaze.

It felt like he could grab me…with his eyes.

I watched the floor for a few moments, and then my eyes were drawn back up to his once again. I blinked rapidly, and continued to explore. I made my way around the outer edge of his face, noticing the strong masculine cut of his jaw line. It looked like it was etched in stone, almost inhuman really, except I could see the light stubble on his pale, white, skin.

My eyes flickered over to his lips, tightly pursed, and I could tell from the moment I saw them, they were used as a weapon to unleash whatever lurked within.

I carefully scanned his desk, and noted how organized it was. I don't mean just neat. Only a person suffering from some form of OCD could orchestrate such order.

"Miss Swan." His velvety smooth voice uttered, finally acknowledging my existence.

I held my breath as I felt the crushing power of his dominating eyes scan over me inquisitively. I had no idea if he expected me to respond to him. So I took Alice's advice, and simply nodded my head.

It seemed to work, because the left corner of his mouth twitched slightly, as though he were pleased by this.

"Please sit." He motioned to the chair before me.

I looked over to Alice, she widened her eyes at me as if to say 'Sit the hell down'. I sat down, crossing my legs while doing so and then neatly smoothed out the creases on my skirt.

"That will be all for now, Alice." He drawled, dismissively.

She nodded her head, and practically darted out of the room.

And so… there I sat, face to face with  _Edroar_. I decided I'd let him break the ice. I wanted to be respectful of the boundaries of our boss employee relationship. Plus, I really didn't know what to say to him.

Like I said, I'd never been good at small talk. I always end up saying something completely inappropriate, and the conversation becomes awkward.

So, I kept my eyes on my lap, patiently waiting for him to address me.

After an unusual amount of time had passed, I raised my head and saw that he was filling out paperwork as though I weren't even there.

I found this to be strange, but I figured he was probably in the middle of something important when we came in. I decided to wait politely until he finished.

So I waited…and waited…and waited some more. I don't know how many minutes passed before I started fidgeting around in my seat.

_Damn it, why did I drink that Red Bull?_

I uncrossed my legs, and then crossed them back again. I stretched my arms up high in the air and arched my back to lengthen the muscles.

After a while, I found myself tapping my toe on floor to the beat of Don't Let Me Get Me. I looked at the clock. I'd been sitting there for ten minutes…in pure silence.

I glanced over at him. He was still engrossed in his paperwork, as though he were completely alone.

More time passed, and I became desperate for something to occupy myself with. So I opened my pocketbook.

I began to quietly rummage through it. I checked my messages, updated my Facebook status, and looked through every picture on my phone. Most of them were of my cat, Yikes.

She was very photogenic, the camera just loved her.

Her shiny, black, fur and gorgeous, amber colored eyes truly gave her a sinister look that I strongly suspect she relished.I called her Yikes because that's what people always said whenever they  _tried_  to pet her.

After I exhausted every possible avenue of entertainment held within my purse I closed it and carefully placed it on my lap. I sat there patiently a bit longer.

Just waiting and watching him work. Soon I heard myself softly humming the True Blood theme song.

I was really enjoying the chorus, when he slowly raised his eyes to mine, without lifting his head. I stopped mid hum. He gave me a look to kill.

_Not a fan of vampires, Mr. Cullen?_

He went back to his work, completely ignoring my presence in the room. I sat there silently for a while longer, now I was blatantly staring at him, imploring him to look at me.

_Look at me damn you!_

Nothing…

He just kept working as though I weren't even sitting there. I silently wondered what the hell was going on, it was just so bizarre. I didn't know what to do.

Finally, I started to cough and hack, like I was dying. After I nearly coughed up a lung, he casually lifted his head, bringing his stormy green eyes directly to mine.

His long, thick, lashes blinked three times before he spoke. "Would you like something to drink?" He asked, sarcastically.

"No, thank you." I replied, politely.

He lowered his head.

_Oh for Christ's sake!_

I couldn't take it anymore. I decided to just talk to him, and be the one to break the ice. Though, at that point I felt more like shattering the damn ice…with a sledge hammer.

I tried not to sound overly bitchy, as I said, "Mr. Cullen, should I come back at another time?" Honestly I didn't want to prevent him from working, but I just couldn't sit there watching him for another minute.

"Do you have someplace else to be?" He questioned impassively, without looking up. I detected a slight accent. It sounded affluent...worldly.

"No, of course not, it just seems that you don't have time to speak to me right now." In my opinion, his disregard for me had become downright rude.

"And what is it you'd like to speak to me about?" His eyes abruptly shot up to mine, and I saw annoyance swimming in them.

"Well nothing in particular. It's just kind of odd for me to sit here watching you work like this." I spat out, a little harsher than intended.

I folded my arms firmly and latched onto his angry glare, aggressively holding his heated gaze, for several very intense moments. Instinctively, I edged back into my seat when I saw a murky darkness seep into his eyes.

He placed his pen down pointedly and sat up straight, his broad shoulders hitting the back of the chair with force.

Roughly, he ran his fingers through his hair, giving it the effect of a mini tornado. I quickly understood how it had gotten so disheveled. His skin was no longer pale; it was now flushed, and looked hot to the touch.

"You know what seems odd to me?" he snarled, through clenched teeth, "My  _masseuse_ , sitting in my office reprimanding me for working." The words came out in a menacing growl. It wasn't quite a roar but, I think he was well on his way.

Clearly he was upset that I dared to call him on his poor behavior, but how could I not? Had anyone ever let this man know how rude he was?

I wasn't looking to start trouble on my first day, I had cleared the slate. I was forming  _my own_  opinion, and all that other positive crap I conjured up in the elevator.

I realized I needed to smooth over our rough start, if I wanted to keep this job, which was seriously becoming debatable the longer I spent in his office.

Maybe none of his other employees were brave enough to talk to him like he was a human being and not an animal, but I decided to take the chance. I would just be myself, I honestly didn't know how to be anyone else, nor did I want to. Bella Swan was not a phony.

"You know, Mr. Cullen," I started apprehensively, "I have to admit, I'm new at this whole personal massage therapist thing. I guess I just expected we'd get to know each other a little before your first massage."

"You have no prior experience?" The words fell out of his mouth as though he were vomiting them.

"What?" My voice raised a few octaves. "Of course I have prior experience." I rolled my eyes. "It's just that I worked at a spa previously." I huffed defensively. "I've never worked with just  _one_ person before," I held up my index finger to illustrate the number one. "I was thinking this job would be…I don't know… more… personal…" I hesitated a moment. "I mean, I am your  _personal_  massage therapist." My hands were very busy doing all sorts of strange gestures as I spoke.

_Definitely no more Red Bull._

He was still looking at me like he'd just thrown up. He appeared stunned…and… nauseous. Not exactly the impression I had hoped to make.

"Ah…I see." He dropped his chin down as he savored my words. "Miss Swan, let me be clear." He moved in closer to me. "You are just  _one_ ," he held up his finger, mockingly, "of the many personal servants I employ." He threw me an arrogant smirk as he picked up his pen.

He lowered his head back down to his work dismissively. In that moment my opinion was formed.

About three things I was absolutely positive:

First, Mr. Cullen was an arrogant fat cat.

Second, that was far worse than an angry lion in my book.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably disgusted by the fact that he was my boss.

The room filled with an edgy silence. I sat there wondering if any amount of money could possibly be worth working for a man like him.

Unfortunately the reality was I had bills to pay...lots of them. The world just wasn't fair. I needed to stop pretending that it ever could be.

_This is your Plan A now, Bella._

After what seemed like hours, his intercom buzzed. "Mr. Cullen, Emmett is here to bring Bella down to the health club." Alice announced.

He looked up at me, then his eyes went to the door, and then back down to his work.

I bit down on my lip in frustration and headed for the door without looking back.

* * *

**A/N:**

Alright guys…let me know if you think I should continue with this one. I have so many ideas for it. I wasn't kidding when I said Edroar was a Tyrant…I haven't slept in days.

I actually work at a small spa right now. That's what got my wheels spinning for this story. I couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be Edward Cullen's personal massage therapist. I'm not a massage therapist, but if you are I'd really appreciate some inside information.

I have to give a big thank you to my creative muse for this story, TKegl. She's a literary genius so please check her work out.

Edroar the Angry Lion has a kick ass banner made by Lindz, so please go to my profile and meet him for yourself. Be warned he can be quite ferocious.

Come follow me on Twitter…I'm always lurking over there…like I said no life. Follow me: (at) tropicalsorbet

  


Okay…let me know if you want more Edroar. I'm still developing the plotlines, so feedback would be very awesome right about now. Thanks so much for reading….

 

 

 


	2. What's in a Name?

**A/N:**

I'll keep this A/N super short. I'm so incredibly grateful for every review and for everyone that takes the time to read this kooky little tale. I would tell you how grateful Edroar is, but that cocky bastard expects it. Speaking of which, the tyrant has returned. So I'm gonna get the hell outta his way.

 **HappyMess:** You turn Lame into Lamé…Only  _you_  have this power.

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that doesn't sleep.*

* * *

_**'But I don't want to go among mad people,' said Alice. 'Oh, you can't help that,' said the cat. 'We're all mad here.'** _

_**-Alice in Wonderland** _

* * *

I tried my best not to slam the door as I stormed out of his office…I failed miserably. The loud bang echoed down the hall as I made my speedy retreat. Who did that pompous bastard think he was calling me his personal servant?

Who does that?

Edroar the arrogant fat cat that's who. I decided to write my own book… and it certainly wouldn't be a children's story. I huffed in response to the angry thoughts going on in my head as I flew down the hall; my arms propelled me faster, like a speed racer.

There was no way I could work for him. How could I ever work for  _him_? What was I thinking? For Christ's sake, his employees got together and wrote a book about what a miserable man he was.

What did I possibly expect?

Part of me had hoped Angela was overreacting when she came home day after day complaining about her horrible boss. I figured she was a more sensitive person than I was.

I figured wrong.

Not that he could ever make  _me_  cry. In his dreams. But he could annoy the living shit out of me and that was just as bad, really. I was still chastising myself, grumbling incoherently about Plan A, when I reached Alice's desk. She took in my murderous expression and didn't seem surprised in the slightest.

"I see things went well." She teased, as she stood and turned my way.

"Oh yes, just delightful." I said, full of sarcasm. "He called me his personal servant." My arms were folded tightly and I felt myself glaring at poor Alice.

"Oh, you got off easy then. I've been called much worse than that," a masculine voice responded. I quickly spun my head around.

"Hi, I'm Emmett." He waved and smiled politely.

"I'm Bella, nice to meet you. I'm sorry… I'm not usually this bitchy. I just…" I ran my hand over my face, "Never mind." I shook my head and smiled weakly.

I realized these people didn't want to hear me complain, they didn't even know me.

"No I get it. Trust me. We've all been there." He let out a long empathetic sigh, "And I don't think you were being bitchy at all…more like human."

I had to crane my neck back a bit just to look at him. He towered over me. He was downright massive… and handsome. He had biceps and triceps and all sorts of eps that most people didn't even know existed. Instantly, I wondered if he was single. Then I quickly reminded myself that I wasn't on the market. I had ended the search.

No way was I going down that road again.

Alice quickly made her way over to me and held her arms out wide for a hug. I didn't want a hug. That would mean he got to me and caused me to need a hug. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. But, I couldn't be rude to Alice, so I gave her a brief hug, and mumbled that I was totally fine.

"Bella seriously, I would be shocked if you came out of his office in a good mood," Alice said sweetly, and then hesitated, "You know, I don't think I've ever seen  _anyone_ come out of his office in a good mood."

Emmett laughed heartily, Alice just shrugged her shoulders. I stood there wondering how they could be so nonchalant. It made no sense to me at all.

"How can you work for a man like that?" I pointed in the direction of his office.

They looked at each other and then back to me. They both began to speak and then stopped; Emmett motioned for Alice to go ahead.

"Well, not only is it a prestigious company to work for, but the pay is top notch, it can't be beat. Plus, everyone here, except Mr. Cullen, is extremely pleasant…so he's totally outnumbered." She giggled mischievously.

"She's right. Let him be king of the jungle," he swiped the air with his hands. "He can roar all he wants, as long as he signs my paycheck." Emmett grinned snidely, as Alice continued to giggle.

Is that what it was really all about… _money_? We were willing to be verbally abused on a daily basis for money? I felt nauseated by the thought.

"So we just let him belittle us so we can get paid each week?" My voice sounded appalled.

"Well, when you say it like  _that,_  it sounds so awful." Alice pouted.

"Welcome to the American dream, little girl." Emmett used his hands as a megaphone, doing a mock announcement, and then gave me a friendly wink.

"Sounds more like a nightmare to me," I spat out irritably. I could feel the scowl forming on my face.

"Eh...It's not so bad. Nothing a few stiff drinks at the end of the day can't fix, right, Al?"

"Right. Oh, we should tell her about our…" she glanced behind her, "Support group." She made air quotes as she said the words.

"You have a support group?" I chuckled at the idea.

"Don't laugh, I'm serious. We have weekly meetings."

I just rolled my eyes at her. She was smiling brightly, sparkling once again. Angela never mentioned that to me. She was probably too embarrassed. Who needs a support group for their job? I tried not to seem insensitive, but I found it totally ridiculous.

"So what do you do at these meetings?"

She lowered her voice to almost a whisper. "We have a booth reserved at the Bottleneck; we meet every Monday and Friday after work. Not the whole company, of course. It's just those of us that work closest with Mr. Cullen." She sounded very serious; she kept glancing behind her as she spoke. " You see, it started as just a general happy hour, but we always ended up venting about, Edroar."

Instantly she clamped both of her hands over her mouth in fear.

"I mean Mr. Cullen… Shit!" Her eyes darted nervously over to Emmett, who looked up to the ceiling and then stuck his hands in his pockets inconspicuously.

I snickered and watched them squirm around a bit. "It's alright guys. I know about the book, Angela told me."

Alice let out a breath of relief. The two of them were hysterical. I found myself laughing full heartedly and wondered how on earth they managed to change my mood around so quickly. Alice looked at her watch and her eyes widened dramatically.

"Oh my god Bella, you better get down to the health club right now. It's almost eight o'clock." She frantically grabbed my hand and began dragging me down the hall. The girl was much stronger than she appeared. The dragging me around thing had to stop though, I was getting whiplash.

"Uh… Alice, slow down." I pulled back on her hand, but she just tugged me forward and kept going. I looked back at Emmett, he was smirking at me.

I gave him the evil eye and moved my feet faster to keep up with the tiny tsunami leading the way. She practically threw me in the elevator and then pushed Emmett in as well.

"You'll thank me for this later," was all she said, and then she was off.

Emmett and I were smiling widely as the doors closed. Suddenly I lost all control, I had a damn laughter attack right there in the elevator. I became a cackling, snickering, teary, blotchy faced, mess.

It was Alice that triggered it, but in her defense my laughter control issues were always heightened as a result of strong emotional turmoil.

It didn't matter what the emotion was, happy, sad, angry, scared, hell sometimes even sexually stimulated. Any powerful emotion could trigger an attack.

It was utterly shameful, but I was well known for laughing hysterically when someone got hurt in front of me.

I struggled to control my laughter at funerals, during wedding vows, at christenings, pretty much all religious occasions, as well as any other highly inappropriate or non-humorous event.

It wasn't that I found the situation itself amusing, it was just some sort of odd physical reaction to the intensity of emotions surrounding the event. It seriously was very hard for me to control.

I was a freak and I knew it.

I was still desperately gasping for air when I sheepishly looked up at Emmett through red, watery eyes. I looked completely unstable. I expected him to have the same freaked out expression that most people got when I had a laughter attack in front of them.

Instead he just shook his head lightly and patted me on the back a few times before he said, "You're gonna fit in around here just fine, little girl."

I came to find out that Emmett was the manager of the health club. He was also Mr. Cullen's personal trainer. He showed me around and introduced me to some of the health club staff.

Boy, Tanya wasn't kidding when she said the atmosphere was different there.

It was so alive…electric. The bass beat of the music in the weight room thumped through my bones.

My body tingled all over from the amount of energy that surrounded me, everything about it, the decor, the fitness equipment and especially the staff were just bursting with life.

I had a contact high just from absorbing it all.

The first person I met was Mike, a yoga instructor. He was very…uh…unique. He wore a skin tight pair of aqua stretch pants and a long, hot pink tank top, no shoes. Somehow, he managed to pull it off.

When Emmett told him my name, he clapped his hands together and said, "Oh Bella...the beautiful. Is that short for Isabella?"

"Yes, but I prefer Bella."

"Really?" He looked fascinated by this tid bit of information, "I believe that the etymology of a person's name holds deep meaning." He put his hand on his chest, "For instance, my name means 'gift from God', which as you can see…" his hand made a full circle around his face, "Is completely accurate." He placed his hand on his hip with attitude and batted his eyelashes at me.

I chuckled, thinking he was joking around, but then noticed he wasn't chuckling along with me.

_Oh… he's a diva._

"Are you a virgin?" He asked casually.

"Excuse me?" I choked on my chuckle.

"Your name, it means consecrated by God. Are you? Or has someone snatched an apple off that pretty little tree and taken a bite of your forbidden fruit, beautiful Bella?"

Before I could respond a tall, blond haired woman appeared behind him.

She rolled her eyes and snapped, "Michelle, leave her alone."

He swung his hand over his head theatrically and sniped, "Harlot please, don't be pissy. It's not my fault your momma named you after an overpriced flower."

The woman just shook her head as if to say 'whatever', though she looked amused. A mischievous grin spread across Mike's face. I got the feeling their cat fights were a regular occurrence.

Ignoring his comment, she looked over at me and said, "I'm Rose, it's nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you Rose, I'm Bella…the defiled apple tree."

She giggled softly and Mike's eyes snapped over to mine. "I knew  _that_  the moment you told me you preferred to go by Bella, just couldn't live up to your full name could you?" He taunted.

"Hmmm… You don't go by your full name either,  _Mike_. What does that say about you?" I teased back.

"Honey,  _I_  am a gift from God. I can go by anything I want." His neck swayed back and forth as he spoke, in true diva fashion. It was pretty funny, if I hadn't just suffered a full blown laughter attack in the elevator, he surely would have triggered one off.

Suddenly, Emmett came back from wherever he wandered off to. "Okay Bella, follow me. Mr. Cullen will be here any minute."

I waved goodbye to Mike and Rose, and followed Emmett up a small flight of stairs and down a short hallway.

"This is the massage room," he announced while opening the door. "It's completely soundproof. Things can get noisy in the club during the day and Mr. Cullen demands absolute silence when in here. We have strict instructions to only disrupt him for a dire emergency."

Emmett stepped aside, giving me a view of the room. It had the same effect on me as the executive suite… it was dreamlike.

Actually, it was even more heavenly in my opinion. Two of the four walls were just windows, large tinted windows overlooking the gorgeous meadow.

From this location I even spotted a small bubbling stream. The serenity of the room was simply breathtaking.

There was a massage table…of course… in the center of the room. The décor was basic, white walls, hardwood floors, a cabinet and sink, a small table, and soft, tranquil, lighting, nothing that would take away from the almost panoramic view.

"You should have everything you need in here. If you have any problems," he handed me a Blackberry, "Just pull up my name and you'll get my cell, there's a text in there from me with your phone number on it. This is how the club staff communicates with each other. None of us sit at a desk and Mr. Cullen didn't want a phone in this room. Make sure to turn it off when he's in here."

I took the phone; the wallpaper on it immediately caught my eye. It was a group photo of the club staff. They were dressed in clothes from the seventies.

Emmett was sporting a huge afro and a pair of plaid bell bottoms, Rose looked gorgeous in a low cut, black satin jumpsuit, with Farah Fawcett hair and Mike…oh god I had to look away a moment… he was wearing red and white dolphin shorts, `a la Richard Simons, a gold lamé tank top with matching gold leg warmers and a pair of red, patent leather, platform shoes.

There were several people in the photo I didn't recognize.

I released a half laugh, half gurgle kind of noise. The photo was equal parts funny and disturbing to look at.

"That was last Halloween, we always go with a theme." Emmett smiled as he looked over my shoulder at the picture.

"Wow! Such a shame you weren't alive back then. Those pants were just made for you." I placed the phone on the cabinet.

"Very funny, wait until you see what we're doing this year. You're gonna love it." He headed for the door snickering and smiling devilishly as he went.

"Oh please, let it be the eighties. I want to see you in a mullet." I begged, my hands folded together in prayer.

"Yeah…yeah... Yuk it up now, little girl. Don't forget,  _you're_  the newbie around here, which means you don't get  _any_  input on your first costume. Be warned, we're a very creative crew." He gave me a quick wink and closed the door.

"They are all absolutely mad here." I said to myself in a faint whisper. "Thank god." I added with a sigh of relief.

My zany co-workers made my warped personality seem normal….  _said the girl talking to herself._

I chuckled at my crazy ways as I prepped for the massage. I wasn't nervous at all. I would be in full control. He would be on my turf this time and I'd make sure he knew it.

I realized I wouldn't actually need to talk to him, ever really, that made me feel much better. Maybe this job wouldn't be as bad as I thought.

I had just dimmed the lights, when the door swung open; my boss filled the frame for several moments, making sure his presence was known.

"You're late." I remarked dryly.

I was only joking. I thought it was kind of funny, since I'd been warned about his great fondness for punctuality. Though, judging by the angry expression on his face he didn't find the humor in it.

He strode in the room like he owned it…which he did. His walk was just as arrogant as his talk, which was pretty damn arrogant.

" _Don't_ reprimand me." He spat out angrily.

Damn, he was fun to get riled up. My God, he was so uptight, no sense of humor at all and angry as a bag of bees.

I was wrong about him making my life a living hell; I bet  _I_  could make  _his_  life a living hell, since he was the one that let things get to him so easily. I was very good at letting things roll off my back. I sensed he wasn't.

"It was just an observation, Mr. Cullen. No disrespect was intended." My voice sounded as sweet as apple pie, a halo appeared above my head.

He didn't reply, though he seemed to look even angrier if that were possible. He didn't scare me. As a matter of fact, I had a morbid curiosity to hear his mighty roar.

 _Baby steps, Bella_.

Getting fired on the first day wasn't really my intent. So I decided to tone it down…. _for now_.

I excused myself so he could get undressed. After a few minutes I opened the door. It was pointless for me to knock and ask if he was ready, like I usually would, since the room was soundproof. So I gave him a few extra minutes before returning.

My footsteps on the wood floor seemed obnoxiously loud. I tried my best to quietly make my way over to the center of the room. I made a mental note to never wear the noisy shoes I had on again.

I took bigger steps to get there quicker. I felt like I was stepping over invisible puddles. It looked like I was trying to sneak up on him. Thankfully he couldn't see me.

He was laying on the table, stretched out on his stomach, a crisp white sheet covering his lower half. His arms were hanging over the top of the table. His head lay on a face cradle instead of a portal. I assumed it was due to his height, he was quite tall.

The room was covered in silence, though this time it was expected. It was welcomed.

His eyes were peaceably closed, which instantly made him look less threatening, his lips weren't pursed and ready to attack. They looked much fuller when relaxed.

I took a few moments to observe him. I was slightly stunned by how such subtle changes could alter his appearance so drastically. Not that he looked warm and fuzzy.

He didn't.

He just didn't look cold and angry. That alone was a pretty miraculous sight to behold.

Almost as if he heard my thoughts his eyelids flew open, two cold green stones were now glaring up at me.

"Miss Swan, I'm not paying you to stand there gawking at me."

And just like that, the fat cat was back. He held my gaze for several seconds until I looked away. I calmed myself before looking back to him.

"You know Mr. Cullen, I didn't want to do this, but I promised myself I would tell you the next time I felt you were rude to me."

I made sure to say this respectfully. I decided to kill him with kindness as my initial approach. It seemed to annoy the hell out of him. So it was working.

I folded my arms and tried to remove the scowl from my face. The man was going to cause me premature wrinkles if I wasn't careful.

"Really." He pushed his body up to rest on his forearms. The sheet pushed down a bit and I saw just how bare he was beneath it.

"Yes, really," I said abruptly, cutting off whatever snide remark he was about to spit out at me. I moved in real close and whispered in his ear, "I'm not afraid of you."

His eyes widened as I pulled my lips away. He scanned me from head to toe, lingering on my face a few moments.

"Ah…and yet your breath is labored…I can hear it." He enunciated each word carefully. His voice was silky smooth, "Your face is flushed…I can see it." I watched as his lips rolled up into a smirk.

Now  _my_ eyes widened.

_I don't flush._

What the hell was he talking about? I darted over to the cabinet to look in the mirror that hung above it.

 _Shit!_ I was flushed.

I could feel his smug grin pounding on my back; god he was such an arrogant bastard. Slowly I turned and walked over to him, loving the sound my obnoxious shoes were making. I even added a little strut to my step just to project outer confidence.

"Don't flatter yourself." I lowered my head slightly, quickly catching my hair and placing it behind my ears. "I'm flushed from an  _incident_  I had in the elevator with Emmett earlier." I didn't elaborate, I certainly wasn't about to tell him what a freak I was.

Immediately the smirk left his face and was replaced with an irritated glare.

"It's against company policy to engage in sexual activity." His tone shifted from smooth to menacing in an instant.

I then realized he consisted of only two moods, arrogant and angry. He seemed to alternate between the two quite rapidly.

"No sexual activity…ever?" I scoffed. "That's a pretty harsh policy Mr. Cullen; you must have a lot of horny workers here."

I couldn't help the devious smirk that appeared on my face, no matter how hard I tried to conceal it. I knew what he meant, but I just couldn't resist giving him a hard time.

Annoying him had become my new favorite hobby. He deserved it too. The pompous jerk had the nerveto accuse  _me_ of engaging in sexual activity _,_  with a complete stranger, in an elevator, on my first day of work.

_Who does that?_

I found I asked myself that question a lot since I started work at Cullen Publishing. I was so lost in my thoughts that I failed to notice the sinister smile that spread across his face.

Our eyes met, his shot out fire, mine playfully roasted marshmallows over the flames. He plowed his hand through his hair recklessly. I flinched instinctively, it just had to hurt.

After some tense filled moments, I thought he wasn't going to respond at all, but when I turned to grab the massage oil I heard him snarl, "Your smart mouth won't be tolerated. Consider that a warning." He laid flat on his stomach and closed his eyes.

I let out a small huff.

_Ah yes…another delightful conversation._

I was actually slightly disappointed. So far, all I'd gotten was a growl and a snarl. No roar. I was beginning to think it was all hype.

Though it was incredibly childish of me, I couldn't resist sticking my tongue out at him, as he lay there with his eyes shut, in protest of his arrogant behavior.

_There…take that you big meanie._

I stood there with a bottle of massage oil in my hands, making faces at my boss. I looked around for a security camera.  _Lord, how embarrassing would that be?_  I didn't find one, thank god.

It was time to get to work.

I took a deep breath and released it slowly, centering myself.

Massage therapy was an art form, in my opinion. There were five basic steps to a Swedish massage, but to me it was much more than just text book jargon.

Even using the word 'steps' just didn't sound right. It sounded too clinical.

There was a reciprocal energy that happened during a massage, it was quite powerful at times. Most people didn't know it, but I had a very giving nature. It made me feel good to help others. Not in a people pleasing or kiss ass kind of way.

I just always preferred giving to taking.

I didn't want to owe anyone anything. I could certainly take care of myself. I had proven that time and again. Not that anyone was jumping up to take care of me.

_Shit!_

Where was all the negativity coming from? I had centered myself. Frustrated by my lack of focus, I tried again, this time letting only positive thoughts course through my mind. It took a few moments, but I did it.

I loved the feeling of massage oil; I let it slip through my fingers slowly. I enjoyed its silky texture as I spread it across his back. I felt myself slipping into the zone.

Whether I was singing, writing lyrics or giving a massage, I would lose myself deeply and end up in a creative zone.

My hands were gliding over the smooth skin on his back. Oddly enough our skin color was nearly identical, it was hard to tell where my skin ended and his began.

I watched as my fingertips slid up and down his spine, I warmed out the area by creating circular friction with my palms. He laid there still as a statue.

After warming and kneading his muscles, I noticed his breathing had gotten louder. It actually knocked me out of my zone, which was really tough to do.

I cautiously peered over at his face. His mouth hung slightly open. His eyes were darting around beneath his eyelids. I heard the faintest snore.

The mighty Edroar had fallen asleep.

It wasn't uncommon. I just hadn't expected it of  _him_. He was so uptight, intense and…angry. I stopped and observed him for a few moments. I could only imagine what he would say if he caught me standing there gawking at him again.

But I just couldn't help it.

I was like a detective trying to solve a case. What made him so damn angry? I mean the guy was young...most girls would consider him to be quite handsome and he was extremely successful.

What the hell was his problem?

It just seemed so odd to me. I was usually pretty good at reading people and I got the feeling that something was haunting him, but what?

That's exactly what my nosy self wanted to know.

I pulled my eyes away from his sleeping face. I mean, what was I doing? Uptight, intense and angry people slept too. It was just fascinating to see it in action.

It didn't take long for me to get back into my zone. Soon, I was rocking a figure eight. My hands were piled on top of each other as I pushed down firmly moving in a criss-cross pattern up and down the length of his back.

Suddenly out of nowhere Sir Mix- A- lot's voice burst into the room… rapping at the top of his lungs.

_'I like big butts and I cannot lie_

_You other brothers can't deny'_

Several things happened at once.

First… I screamed loudly, because it scared the shit out of me,  _Edsnore_ abruptly shot up, grabbed my wrists, which were on his shoulder, flipped himself over and somehow managed to pull me down on top of him in the process…like he was a pro wrestler.

Meanwhile, Sir Mix-A- lot was yelling in the background….

_'Oh baby, I wanna get with you_

_And take your picture_

_My homeboys tried to warn me_

_But that butt you got makes me so horny'_

It took me a minute to realize it was the damn phone that Emmett gave me. What the hell kind of ringtone was that?

I couldn't breathe.

I was crushed up against him so tightly. I was afraid my ribs were broken. I lifted my face, desperately searching for air, our noses collided.

Our eyes were so close together that I saw double. It looked like he had four eyes…four angry and confused eyes.

"I…can't…breathe…" I croaked, as I attempted to squirm my way out of his death grip.

Instantly, he released me and I dropped to the floor with a solid thud. I was panting and gasping, sucking in big gulps of air, my hands were at the base of my throat reflexively.

I wasn't trying to be dramatic. The man nearly killed me.

I had no idea how long he was watching me, but when I finally got my breath back I looked up, he was wrapped in the sheet and sitting on the table looking stunned...and a bit nauseous.

"Explain to me what just happened." He folded his arms together sternly, as though he were about to scold a child.

"Th...th...at damn phone went off," I pointed to the table. "And then you tried to kill me." I stated as though it were a simple fact. My chest was heaving up and down, still relishing the air it was receiving.

He scoffed and shook his head in annoyance, not looking concerned for me in the slightest, which I found highly insulting.

"If I tried to kill you I certainly would have succeeded," he huffed. "Though, anyone that would choose that ridiculous song as a ringtone deserves to die."

He looked away from me, still irritated. He was flushed and a bit out of breath himself. His hair was no longer just ruffled; it had become a matted, sweaty, knotted, mess.

"Did you just make a joke?" I was sitting on the floor looking up at him, panting like a dog.

"No, I wasn't joking… if I wanted to kill you, I most definitelywould have succeeded." He smirked wickedly.

"That wasn't what I was talking about and you know it." I pulled myself up using the corner of the massage table. I placed a finger on my chin inquisitively. "Does the frightfully ferocious Mr. Cullen actually have…" I gasped in shock, "A sense of humor?"

Why I couldn't control myself from constantly taunting my boss was beyond me.

_Who does that?_

It was silent a few moments before he coolly replied, "No." A slight frown crossed his face.

Suddenly I felt like the world's biggest bitch. Maybe he didn't want to be so angry all the time. I was just about to apologize for being so rude to him when he cleared his throat breaking the moment.

"I have a meeting to attend. This massage is over. If your phone ever goes off again while I'm in here you'll be terminated at once." His eyes were solid ice. "You're dismissed."

I stood there baffled by his abrupt mood change. Clearly he was bipolar…or perhaps schizophrenic?

I was contemplating the odds of one of his personalities being nice, when he abruptly shouted, "GO!"

He startled me so, that my body jerked back in response.

_Whoa…that was pretty darn close to a roar._

He actually looked beastly…like a savage. I heard a low steady growl as he awaited my next move. He looked as though he wanted to pounce on me and I don't know maybe…rip me to shreds.

I quickly straightened up my back. I bit down on my lip in determination and brought my eyes up to his defiantly.

"GLADLY!" I yelled back, matching his ferocity as best I could.

For the second time that day, I found myself storming away from him, but this time I didn't slam the door…I left it wide open.

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 **A/N:**  Okay guys… Let me know if you like…It keeps me stable. Thanks for reading.


	3. I know You Are But What Am I?

**A/N:**  Hi gang. Thank you so much for the love. It seriously rocks my world. Looks like Tyrantward is here to stay. So without further ado here's some Edroar for you.

 **HappyMess:**  My love for you is as big as Mr. PEENORMOUS!

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that FINALLY figured out how the FGB auction works (thanks Mary)*

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_**I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!** _

_**-Dr. Seuss** _

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I made it about halfway down the hall before it hit me…I gave that moody sleep wrestler exactly what he wanted.

A small puff of air left my nostrils as my epiphany became clearer to really was like an angry lion. Suddenly, the analogy made perfect sense. My pace slowed and my face scrunched up a bit as I formulated my new found theory.

If he were a lion, his company would be the jungle, his employees the wild and crazy animals…emphasis on the crazy, and then it dawned on me…my job would be most similar to…the lion tamer.

I covered my mouth to keep from cackling aloud at the thought.

Instantly my mind wandered to the only lion tamers I knew of, Siegfried and Roy. I imagined myself onstage in Las Vegas, bright lights, rock music blasting, as I tamed the mighty Edroar for all to see.

I grinned widely while visualizing myself with a long black whip in one hand, a chair in the other, showing that savage beast who's boss.

It didn't take long for my smug grin to turn into a worried wince as I remembered how things turned out for poor Roy.

Ouch!

I made it to the staircase before realizing that Siegfried and Roy weren't even lion tamers, they were magicians…that worked with tigers, not lions. I also realized that based on Edroar's reaction to me, I was more of a lion inflamer than a lion tamer.

I'd be better off if I were a magician, then I could create the illusion that my boss wasn't such an angry dictator…emphasis on the dic.

I really didn't know what to do and that made me very uneasy.

I treated him just like I would treat anyone else. I went out of my way to let him know I wasn't afraid of him. I wanted him to know that. He certainly didn't scare me, annoy me yes, disgust me most definitely, but frighten me?

Only in his dreams.

That was probably what he dreamt about when he fell asleep during his massage, scaring people and perhaps kicking puppies or stealing candy from children. I bet those were a few of his favorite things.

I made sure he knew he didn't frighten me, but what I neglected to tell him was that I was an insane masochist that enjoyed making him angry.

He didn't need to know about that. Though, it would probably make him really angry, so it was pretty damn tempting to tell him.

In my warped mind I compared it to entering a room and spotting a large red button marked 'Do not push.'

I was the girl that would have an uncontrollable urge to push that button. My uptight boss was like a walking red button wearing a 'do not push' sign across his chest.

If no one ever dared to push the button how could they possibly know what would happen?

So I pushed.

Several times actually.

I couldn't seem to help it. It didn't accomplish much more than getting myself into a screaming match with him. Though I did manage to spot a small crack in his cold, hard veneer, he frowned for a split second before admitting to me he had no sense of humor. I was sure of it. What that meant I had no idea.

Why did I even care?

I thought about that for a moment. The man was my boss, so it was beneficial for me to understand the type of person he was.

Also, if I were being completely honest with myself, I cared because it was in my nature to help someone that had inner turmoil going on. I knew how exhausting that could be. I really did.

But, was it my place to psychoanalyze my boss and then call him on it?

Why couldn't I ever mind my own business, follow along with the crowd, not make waves?

I wondered if I was even capable of swallowing my pride like the thousands of other employees at Cullen Publishing did each week to get their paycheck. Could I toss aside self respect all in the name of the mighty dollar?

Frustrated by my bleak situation I stomped my foot down on the marble floor beneath me.

"Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" I grumbled in annoyance, calling on the holy family for some odd reason.

Why did the man have to be so damn insufferable?

Gently I massaged my temples while exhaling, a technique I often used to calm myself down.

A small group of women walked my way as I stood there grumbling about Jesus and massaging myself.

They stopped talking only long enough to pass by, carefully distancing themselves from me, huddled in a cluster, practically scaling the opposite wall.

I got the distinct feeling they thought I might lash out at them, like some kind of rabid animal.

What the hell?

People were reacting to me as though I were some kind of crazed animal. Mr. Cullen didn't scare me, but I understood why his employees feared him. He was uptight, intense and angry.

But I wasn't…was I?

Suddenly, I wasn't so sure anymore. It took me a few moments to wipe the self doubt away. No, I was nothing like him. He was my complete opposite as a matter of fact.

I was carefree, uninhibited and fun loving. I'd always been that way. Not that I didn't have things to be angry about. Who didn't? But I firmly believed life was what you made of it.

I decided not to waste another minute worrying. Worrying never once solved a problem for me.

The solution was actually quite simple, really. Either quit my job or suck it up and figure out a way to stop pushing his buttons every time I see him.

I was certainly no quitter.

How hard could it be not to taunt him? No one else seemed to struggle with it.

I knew I needed to keep the job as long as I possibly could, but I wasn't going to be yet another whipping post for that overgrown bully. I'd remain true to myself and deal with the consequences as they came along.

That's how I always lived my life. He certainly wasn't going to change that.

With my new plan firmly set in place, I quickly made my way to the front desk, plastering a smile on my face, hoping it didn't look fake. I hated it when people gave out phony smiles.

Why bother if you don't mean it?

There was a girl sitting at the desk that hadn't been there before. Her fingers were absentmindedly twirling around her long, black hair. Everything about her was hot pink, and I do mean everything _,_  nails, lips, clothes, shoes, earrings.

Pepto Bismol instantly came to mind.

"Hi, you must be Bella?" Pep said, with a pink coated smile.

"Guilty," I gave a friendly smirk, "and you are?" I assumed the receptionist, but no one had mentioned her to me.

"Oh silly me, I always forget I'm not famous." She laughed and I cringed. It was ear piercing.

The shrill of her laughter was so high I instantly got a migraine.

"I'm Jessica. Sorry I wasn't here to greet you this morning. I was late." She chomped on a piece of pink bubblegum, "I locked myself in the house again."

My brow furrowed together in confusion. I was still replaying her words in my mind as she continued talking.

"I swear, no matter how many times I explain it to Emmett he just doesn't get it." She let out a long exasperated sigh.

"You were locked inside your house?" I just had to ask. How could I not?

"Yeah, for the second time this month." She held up two fingers. "I moved into a new apartment and just my luck, the deadbolt locks from the inside of the door," she huffed. "I mean…I'm not perfect, sometimes I put my keys down and can't find them in the morning. It happened all the time in my last place, but on those days I just left the door unlocked and took a cab to work. I always found them when I got home."

She snapped her gum a few times and popped a bubble, "Obviously I can't do that if I'm locked in the house."

She pouted, looking like a scolded child. Well, maybe more like a scolded hooker. Her fashion sense was definitely of the street walker variety.

"Hmm, that is quite the dilemma." I tried desperately not to be a wise ass. "Maybe it would help if you left your keys in the lock." I suggested as though it weren't an obvious solution.

She rolled her eyes as though I'd just said the stupidest thing she'd ever heard.

"Well duh, if I had my keys I wouldn't leave them in the lock all day long. I'd use them to get to work silly," and then came that laugh again. I cringed the moment I saw her mouth opening wide.

It was even worse the second time around.

I fought the urge to cover my ears, or her mouth…preferably her mouth….with duct tape. It was that bad. Whoever coined the term 'laughter is the best medicine' clearly never met this chick.

After enduring her horrendously painful fit of laughter for far too long, she suddenly yelped out like a wounded animal.

"Oh Bella, I almost forgot! I temporarily misplaced the phone that Emmett left here for you," she smacked her forehead lightly. "I searched all over for the darn thing. I even tried calling it like I do when I lose mine, but  _poof!_ It disappeared." There was baffled look on her face. She held her arms up with her palms laid flat before her and shrugged. "Please don't tell Emmett, I promise I'll find it."

The girl had the voice of Fran Drescher, the style of Peg Bundy, and the intelligence of Homer Simpson. I had a horrible habit of comparing people to fictional characters.

I watched as she played with her hair nervously, awaiting my response.

"Actually, he gave it to me already," I admitted. Her eyes brightened instantly, "I couldn't answer your call since I was busy giving Mr. Cullen his morning massage." I tried not to sound bitchy. It was clear she hadn't fucked my morning up on purpose.

"Oh sweet," she chimed joyfully. "Do you like the ringtone I picked out for you?" Her face was bursting with glee.

I hesitated a few moments, contemplating my answer carefully. "Uh, it certainly was a surprise."

Her smile grew wider. "Did you know Sir Mix-A-Lot's from Seattle? Me and my mom are his biggest fans EVER!" The shrill increased as her voice grew louder, "We're always front row and center whenever he plays here, and let me tell you  _all_ eyes are always on  _us_. We have the hottest, matching spandex body suits, pink leopard print."

She spit out her gum in the waste basket and then went into her purse to get a fresh piece.

"I can't even tell you how many times my mom and I got lost in the infectious beat of that song. Of course when I first heard it I was just a little girl, so I didn't understand the depth of the lyrics like I do now."

She brought her long, neon pink nails up to cup her chin, as she sat there smiling wistfully at me.

I didn't even try to stifle my laughter. I knew it would be far too painful. It was no light chuckle either.

Pep had pushed me over the edge.

Once again I found myself huddled over, gasping for air, red faced and teary eyed. It was getting ridiculous. I hadn't even made it to lunch yet. This place was going to be the death of me for sure.

"I see you've met Jessica." Emmett's deep voice caught me off guard.

I did my best to quickly pull myself together, frantically wiping the tears away before I stood to face him.

"Yes," I cleared my throat forcefully. "We were just discussing the complexity of Sir Mix-A-Lot's lyrics in the song 'Baby Got Back.'"

Somehow I managed to keep a straight face while uttering the most ridiculous words ever spoken. Jessica sat there nodding her head in agreement.

His face broke out in a wide grin. Looking away, he slowly shook his head back and forth, before turning back to me dumbfounded. "I don't even know what to say to that."

"Oh trust me…there are no words." I patted him on the back a few times for reassurance.

We both laughed heartily. Jessica tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes at each of us. She looked totally perplexed. This made us laugh even harder.

I was still giggling lightly when terror suddenly appeared in Jessica's pink, heavily shadowed eyes.

She was looking directly behind me.

I looked at Emmett; he stiffened immediately, also looking directly behind me. I didn't even need to turn around. I knew who was standing there.

"Mr. Cullen, good morning sir." Emmett's voice sounded as though he were in the military addressing a superior.

There was silence

Though there was absolutely nothing silent about the angry glare I felt burning holes into the back of my head.

"Not really." Mr. Happy snapped at Emmett.

"I'm very sorry to hear that, Sir. Is there anything I can do for you?"

My eyes widened slightly at his timid demeanor.

"As a matter of fact there is," the Lion paused. "You can stop standing around giggling with the girls and get to work." The arrogant bastard ordered with a menacing growl.

"Yes, of course, Sir." Emmett replied respectfully, without showing even a hint of annoyance. He looked down at his feet; a wounded frown now replaced the bright smile I had come to know.

I honestly didn't know who disgusted me more, the fat cat for being such an ass or Emmett for taking it from him so readily.

I wasn't even planning to acknowledge his presence...until he uttered, "Miss Swan."

"Yes." I replied coolly, without even bothering to turn and face him.

"Look at me when I speak to you." He commanded harshly, amplifying the already tense atmosphere.

I bit down hard on my lower lip for strength and spun around abruptly.

My eyes shot directly up to his.

This time it was fire on fire.

There was nothing playful about the look I gave him. The heat was palpable. I was every bit as inflamed as he was.

It remained silent as the battle of the eyes raged on. The more his sinister dark green orbs tried to intimidate me, the more my stubborn brown ones stood their ground.

I was far beyond my usual bitch eyes. I was consumed by something much darker than I had ever experienced before.

I just couldn't look away.

It felt like the earth stood still for those few moments. Not in a romantic way of course, it was more like the stillness you feel right before a car crash. You see it coming, but there's nothing you can do to stop it.

He took a step closer to me before speaking.

"You're expected to remain professional at all times," he spoke as though I were a child, "Is that clear?" his chin lowered slightly as he raised an eyebrow up in warning.

I felt my feet move a step closer to him; my hands firmly grasped my hips. I was in what Jasper called my 'Oh no you didn't' stance.

"Actually, that is not clear. Are you insinuating that I have an unprofessional work ethic, Mr. Cullen?" I spat his name out like it was a dirty word.

Shock registered in his eyes, many other emotions flickered around in them as well, there was anger of course, that was always there, but to my surprise I noticed a subtle spark of mischief.

Was he taunting me purposely?

I couldn't be sure, he blinked his eyes and the mischief was gone replaced with sheer rage.

"Well then, let me make this perfectly clear for you." He hissed, each word sounded more threatening than the last, his angry glare intensified, gripping me with force. "I do not consider giggling and flirting your day away like a mindless schoolgirl to be an acceptable work ethic."

His jaw tightened in annoyance, as mine dropped open. I had reached my limit. I couldn't hold back any longer.

"How dare you talk to me like that?" My head bobbed back and forth as the words spewed out. I pointed an angry finger directly at his face and waved it around like a sword, "Who do you think you are?"

He didn't respond right away. I felt an intense urge to scream 'Answer me!', but managed to control it.

"Your boss," he replied dryly after what felt like hours. Then he coolly added, "Though I assure you if this juvenile behavior continues that will no longer be the case." His eyes slowly made their way down my outstretched arm and then flashed back up to meet my raging eyes, his expression dripped with revulsion. "Really, Miss Swan did your parents not teach you how rude it is to point?"

I took a deep breath and released it slowly.

I glanced over at Emmett and Jessica wondering if they were still around. They were. Their faces were covered with concern, looking at me as though I were running along the ledge of a tall building with my eyes closed.

Reluctantly, I lowered my arm. I wanted to tell him that the only thing my parents ever taught me was how to take care of my damn self, but I didn't.

I chuckled obnoxiously instead, and said, "You know Mr. Cullen, I understand that the sound of laughter must be foreign to you, given the fact that you have no sense of humor." I heard Jessica gasp, "I get it, I do, but what I don't get is why you feel the need to bully and belittle your employees."

I paused attempting to form my next words properly. I wanted to know why he was so angry.

"Why are you so angry?" I blurted out, no point in beating around the bush.

I glanced his way and noted that once again he looked as though he wanted to devour me alive. I also noted that once again I relished the feeling of making him that angry.

What the hell was wrong with me? His homicidal reaction seemed to only add fuel to my fire.

"Go on," I hedged. "I know you're going to come back at me with some angry and demeaning remark. Perhaps I deserve it. Perhaps I've spoken out of place, but I certainly didn't deserve to be compared to a mindless school girl." I don't know why, but very softly I mumbled, "I know what you are," under my breath.

"Do you?" he asked without skipping a beat, taking me by complete surprise.

"Do I what?"

"Know what I am."

"Yes." I held my head up high; my heart was beating out of my chest.

He leaned down a bit closer to me. "Then say it." He demanded through clenched teeth.

I pursed my lips tightly together in determination. There was a tiny voice inside my head screaming 'Don't do it Bella! Keep your mouth shut!'

I ignored it of course.

"Say it." He demanded once again, more maliciously than before.

I gritted my teeth. It was so silent you could hear a pin drop. I swallowed hard before speaking.

"Fat Cat," I announced softly, yet with conviction.

I didn't know what I expected to happen next, but his reaction was not it.

His lips turned up into a smirk…a very arrogant smirk. Mischief flickered around in his eyes. This time I was sure of it.

In fact there seemed to be an abundance of it, making his eyes a much lighter shade of green. By far the lightest I had ever seen them.

He placed his hands in his pockets still wearing that same arrogant as hell crooked grin. "And you say this as though it were a bad thing."

I actually started to feel flustered, which pissed me off. I never got flustered. The man was just maddening.

"Grrrr…" I made a growling noise at him.

He may not scare me, but I was really starting to scare myself. I never growled at another person like that before.

Expressionless and completely unfazed by my animalistic reaction, he calmly removed his hands from his pants pockets.

"If you lose this it will be deducted from your pay." He warned coldly, while handing me my Blackberry.

I took the phone; the wallpaper caught my eye once again. This time I recognized Jessica in the group photo, oddly enough she was wearing her pink leopard print bodysuit.

They spent Halloween at a Sir Mix-A-Lot concert?

Somehow just looking at that ridiculous picture calmed me down. Slowly I raised my eyes up to my boss, who was having entirely too much fun at my expense.

I couldn't have that.

I brought a finger up to my chin. "I recall leaving this on the table in the massage room, hardly cause for concern." I oozed sarcasm. "I'm beginning to think you're taunting me on purpose." I folded my arms and then quirked an eyebrow up at him accusingly.

A sly grin appeared on his face as he ran his fingers through his thick bronze hair, using much less force than I'd seen him do before. It had almost the same effect though. His hair was unruly to say the least.

"Hardly," he huffed, his sarcasm matching my own "If I wanted to taunt you," his tongue lightly brushed across his bottom lip, "I would tell you that I know what you are."

And with that he turned and walked away.

It was silent as the three of us watched him go. His long frame moved fluidly, practically gliding down the hall, each step he took exuded not just confidence, but dominance.

One thing was for sure, everyone had a weakness. I wondered what his was.

"What the hell was that about?" Emmett asked the minute our boss was out of sight, a stunned look on his face.

"I know, right." I grumbled. "What a jerk."

"Bella," he started and then hesitated searching for the words. "I've worked here a long time. I've _never_  seen _anyone_ speak to him like that before…ever." He looked awed, "Holy shit woman you've got spunk." He held up his hand to slap me five and then bowed down to me as though I were royalty.

"Well I certainly have more spunk than you." I teased, calling him out on his wussy behavior.

"Yeah, yeah," he huffed. "We can't all be as fearless as you, oh mighty lion slayer."

I chuckled lightly. "I wouldn't go that far. I hardly think I wounded him."  _Not for a lack of trying,_  I thought bitterly.

Jessica stood up abruptly. "He's right Bella; you're the bravest person I know. I'm afraid to even breathe when Mr. Cullen comes around." Her hands were on her heart, "I used to hold my breath when he was near me. I had to stop that though, I kept passing out."

I quickly realized I could always count on Jessica for a good laugh, just as long as she didn't laugh along with me.

"Please…he's nothing to be afraid of," I assured her. "He's just a spoiled, egotistical, uptight and angry bully."

"Why don't you tell us how you really feel, Buttercup." Emmett joked while holding back a laugh.

"Buttercup?" my head spun around to face him.

"Yeah, you remind me of Buttercup, my favorite superhero." He shrugged, as though it were no big deal.

"There's a superhero named Buttercup?" I crinkled my face skeptically.

"Yes there is and I'll have you know that she's the most badass of all the Powerpuff Girls." He boasted with complete authority.

"Alrighty, that is just disturbing on so many levels." I shook my head in disgust, but couldn't fight back the smile that crept up on my face.

"Have you ever watched it?" His words were tinged with excitement.

"I am proud to say I have not." I was still smiling despite myself.

"Well then, I say to you, do not speak of what you do not know," he warned knowingly. I was getting concerned by the seriousness of his tone.

"On that note, I'm going to straighten up the massage room." I pointed towards the exit and made a speedy retreat.

I swore I heard Emmett call out something that sounded like 'Girl Power,' but I couldn't be sure.

The rest of the morning I spent observing the various club workers. Emmett told me to become more familiar with what each member of the club staff did whenever possible.

So I took a quick peek in on a yoga class. I had taken yoga classes before so I knew what to expect…or so I thought.

Mike's class was anything but predictable. The first thing that caught my attention was the fact that he was perched up on a platform. He really did have a God complex.

The walls were covered with framed portraits of him in various yoga positions. He gave a whole new meaning to the term self love.

If I hadn't been wearing my obnoxious shoes and a skirt I definitely would have joined in on his class. It actually looked quite interesting and would probably help me to release some tension.

I felt a bit like a stalker creeping around looking in the various classes. If I wasn't dressed like such a yuppie I could have participated. Why I let Angela pick my outfit out was beyond me. I was a massage therapist for crying out loud, not a stuffy executive.

I spent my lunch break with Jessica oddly enough.

Ange had already told me she had a business lunch to attend. Emmett invited me to join the club staff in the cafeteria, but Jessica had gotten to me first.

She said she was a vegetarian and that the cafeteria was nothing but a crime scene. I didn't even ask what the hell she was talking about for fear of another laughter attack.

She insisted on driving and then couldn't remember where she parked her car.

So after roaming around the parking lot for ten minutes we finally took my truck, which I might add is impossible to lose, just another one of its many selling points.

Lunch with Jessica wasn't bad at all. I found if I kept the conversation light she was able to follow along no problem. Though, I could have done without hearing an in depth description of her beloved cow collection.

She had over a hundred of them. Cows in heels, cows in bikinis, a Marilyn Moo-roe cow and the list just went on and on.

After lunch I helped her find her car and then made my way back to the massage room. I had just set my purse down on the table when a strange man appeared in the doorway. Instead of just walking in, he tapped lightly on the frame.

"Knock, knock." He called out in a friendly tone.

"Who's there?" I replied instinctively, a playful smile on my lips.

"Peter."

"Peter who?" I couldn't help myself.

He scratched his head and smiled.

"Uh… Peter the kickboxing instructor from down the hall." He slowly made his way to the center of the room.

He was rugged looking; a real man's man, dirty blonde hair, crystal blue eyes and a five o'clock shadow. His smile was warm and infectious.

"Well, that's not very funny at all." I teased.

"Yeah, I suppose I could work on my delivery a bit." He joked while leaning against the side of the massage table.

We both chuckled. "So you're the new massage therapist I hear."

"Yeah I'm afraid so." I sounded defeated, which disturbed me.

"Sounds like you've already met the Big Kahuna?"

"If you're referring to the angry tyrant that owns this company, then yes I have." I walked over to the massage table and stood opposite of him, "Big Kahuna, that's a new one." I laughed. "How many nicknames does the man have?"

"Let's just say he goes by many names around here and leave it at that." His eyes scanned curiously around the room before settling on the window, "How do you get any work done in here with this view? It's amazing."

I nodded in agreement and then turned my head to look out at the gorgeous meadow that wrapped around us. It was a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky, which was rather uncommon in Seattle.

"Yeah, it's breathtaking. Actually the tranquility of it helps me to stay centered." It was quiet a few moments as each of us appreciated the view. "So…kickboxing huh? I didn't realize the club offered that?" I broke the silence; my eyes were now shamelessly rolling down his chest.

Did I mention he was shirtless?

He wasn't overly muscular, but the strong definition and cut of his physique was eye catching to say the least.

"Yeah, Mr. Cullen's pretty big on martial arts. You should come by and check out a class. Word around town is you're quite the badass." He winked at me while stretching his legs out in front of him, crossing them at the ankles.

"Jeez! What did Emmett tell you?" I was mortified.

He was just about to respond, but was interrupted….by Sir-Mix-A-Lot.

' _I like big butts and I cannot lie'_

I dove across the room for my purse and dug out my phone while trying to push away the image of Jessica dancing around in that damn bodysuit.

"Hello?" I gasped, slightly out of breath

"Bella, what on earth are you doing that has you so flustered?" Alice sounded concerned.

"What? I'm not flustered. I just couldn't find my phone." I explained, somewhat defensively. I glanced over at Peter; he mouthed "Nice ringtone" and shook his head in amusement. I rolled my eyes at him sarcastically.

"Well, as long as you're alright. I was just calling to tell you that Mr. Cullen won't be coming down for his afternoon massage."

"Oh really, did he say why?"

"No, but there's a client in his office so I assume he has business to attend to. He just buzzed me and let me know." She sounded apologetic.

"Of course, I'm sure he's very busy. Thanks for letting me know. "

I must have sounded disappointed because Alice whispered into the phone. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything's great." I lied, apparently not well.

"Hmm...Don't think I believe you for one second young lady," she scolded. "I expect a full report at the meeting tonight."

"Excuse me?"

"You're coming to our meeting tonight at the Bottleneck. I won't take no for an answer."

"Oh Alice, really, I don't think-"

"Uh-buh-bah…" she cut me off."The first one is mandatory, future meetings will be at your discretion. Be there by six. Do you need directions?"

Damn, she was a pushy little thing.

I was just about to argue and then realized I could actually use a drink...or ten and the bar was walking distance from my apartment.

"No, I know exactly where it is. I'll be there." I relented.

"Good. That's more like it. I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah…yeah...see you later," I grumbled jokingly. I was actually looking forward to seeing her.

As I put my phone away I made a mental note to change that ridiculous ringtone as soon as possible.

"Sorry about that. It was Mr. Cullen's assistant; he's not coming down for his afternoon massage today." I explained while walking back over to the massage table.

"Lucky you." He stood up while stretching his arms high above his head, showing the distinct v of his waistline quite nicely.

I may have drooled a bit…it's been awhile.

As a massage therapist I never gawked at my clients, I was in my zone and completely unaffected by nudity.

But, apparently I had nothing against gawking at guys that weren't my clients. Apparently when I was out of my zone I was a complete pervert.

Who knew? It had been so long since I'd seen a man that wasn't a client without a shirt on.

"I better get going, I just wanted to stop by and say hello." He smiled warmly, "I'll see you around Bella."

He headed for the door.

"It was nice to meet you Peter, take bare…uh care...take care" I fumbled, sounding like a total moron.

My eyes hit the floor. I took a few quick breaths, wishing that the earth would swallow me whole, slowly I raised my eyes, he was still standing there smiling warmly at me.

"So…uh…come visit me sometime, alright? I'd really love to show you some moves, I bet you're a natural." He winked and was out the door before I could reply.

I took a large gulp of air while quickly dabbing around the corners of my mouth checking for residual drool. Thankfully, there wasn't any.

Then I smacked myself across the face…hard.

I was downright shameless, looking at that poor man as though he were nothing but a piece of meat.

As much as I hated to admit it, sometimes I wanted a warm body lying next to me when I fell asleep at night, or someone to ask how my day went as though it were the most important question in the whole world.

I shook away the pesky thoughts as fast as I could.

No good could come of that. Love was not in my cards. Besides, I certainly didn't need a man to complete me.

I refused to be brainwashed into believing in some unrealistic fairytale that society reaped on unsuspecting young girls. There was no Prince Charming coming to whisk me away to his castle.

Even when I was a little girl I was smart enough to question the motives of all of those fairytale Princes.

It still shocked me that not one of my friends would evenconsider the possibility that Prince Charming never really loved Cinderella.

In my opinion it was quite obvious the guy had a raging foot fetish. Why else would he go all over town carrying a woman's shoe around, asking to see all the girls' feet?

Come on!

He spent the whole night dancing with Cinderella. Wouldn't he remember what she looked like? Was the whole shoe thing  _really_  necessary? Could it be that he just used Cinderella as an excuse to fondle all the feet he could get his grubby little hands on?

It was just a theory of course, but I strongly felt it held some weight.

After several hours of thumb twiddling, which Tanya was totally right about, not fun at all, I made my way home.

Yikes never greeted me at the door, she couldn't be bothered. It felt so good to take my shoes off. I wiggled my toes around as I wondered if I should invite Ange to come to The Bottleneck with me.

I was still unsure how much of my day I wanted to share with her. I knew she'd feel guilty about how stressed I was over the job. Well, not so much the job as the boss.

A small part of me was actually worried that he hadn't come down for his afternoon massage. Did he plan on firing me? Did I want to quit? Maybe that would be for the best.

Then why did I feel so disappointed at the thought of it?

Alice was right the people there were extremely pleasant, but Mr. Cullen was extremely unpleasant. And so the circle of frustration went round once again.

The man was literally driving me to drink. I could totally understand why the group meetings were held in a bar. Hell I could totally understand why there _were_  group meetings.

After changing into a pair of faded old blue jeans and a vintage Zeppelin t-shirt, passed down to me by my wicked cool hippie grandmother, I headed to the fridge in search of a cold drink.

Just as I popped open a beer and raised it to my eager lips the doorbell rang. I took a nice long swig as I went to answer it. I flung the door open knowing exactly who was waiting there.

"Hello Darlin."

Instantly I was swept up in the warm familiar arms of my best friend.

* * *

**A/N:**

Some of you were wondering if there will be an EPOV in this story…good question. I had originally planned for it to be all BPOV. I figured Edroar was such an angry bastard that he'd make Bella do all the talking. But, I'm starting to wonder if he has some things he needs to tell you himself. Hmm. I'll have to get back to you on that after I figure out the best way to go about it. Your thoughts of course are always welcome.

 **Come play**  with me on Twitter: (at) tropicalsorbet

 **Fun facts:**  I totally made up Jessica's Marilyn Moo-roe collectible. I could see her with a silly cow figurine of Marilyn. I was curious and googled it and sadly it doesn't exist, but I did find out there is a real cow that goes by that name.

 **Definition of a Fat Cat:**  Commonly used to describe a rich, greedy person who, due to ownership of large amounts of capital, is able to "live easy" off the work of others.

 **That's all**  for now folks…let me know what you think…it gives me the 


	4. All That Jazz

 

**A/N:** Hi Folks. I've returned with some more Edroar for you. I'll save my blabbering for later. Meet you at the bottom.

 

**Happymess:** Thank you for being a ninja beta. Traveled down the road and back again. Your heart is true, you're a pal and a confidant. And if you threw a party, invited all the pervs you knew. You would see the biggest peen would be from me and the card attached would say thank you for being a ninja beta.

 

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl with an odd penguin fetish. (winks at Tami)

 

* * *

_**A place where there isn't any trouble. Do you suppose there is such a place, Toto? There must be. It's not a place you can get to by a boat or a train. It's far, far away. Behind the moon, beyond the rain...**_

_**-Dorothy, the Wizard of Oz**_

* * *

Big warm arms swooped me up, surrounding me, covering me like a blanket.

My face flattened against his chest, I curved my hand to keep my beer bottle from poking into his stomach. My eyes focused on the dark sunglasses that hung from the neckline of his button down shirt.

I breathed in deeply; the crisp scent of tobacco laced with a slight tinge of cinnamon filled my nostrils. It was a scent I knew well, a natural relaxant for me.

I exhaled softly; a sigh of content escaped my lips.

I often wondered if other people sniffed their best friend as vigorously as I did. I wondered if other people sniffed their best friend at all. Probably not, but then again not everyone's best friend was Jasper Whitlock.

If there was such a thing as smooth dude DNA, he was covered in it.

The minute he rolled his soulful greenish grey eyes over a girl she was a goner, add to that his lazy smile and southern charm and the boy could get anything his little heart desired…and he knew it.

We joked about it quite often. I loved playing the how many sips game with him. How many sips of his drink would Jazz take before a girl gave him her number?

Usually by the time he swallowed his second sip she was eagerly typing it into his phone for him. He didn't even have to type the damn number in himself.

Effortless, I tell you.

Jasper's family moved to Forks when he was ten. I'd never heard anything like his Texas accent before. It used to make me chuckle.

He would say perty instead of pretty and naht instead of night. He still did, and sometimes ten year old me silently chuckled.

Much to my dismay his arms slowly released me. I wasn't really a huggy type of a person, but Jasper hugs felt more like a beacon in the storm, he always pulled me in. He grounded me.

"Looks like someone had a rough day," he noted while curiously searching my face for signs of trouble.

I just shrugged my shoulders impassively before turning and heading for the kitchen. I didn't want to make a big deal out of my jerk of a boss. I really didn't. There was no point in sitting around complaining about it.

What good would that do?

I grabbed a beer out of the refrigerator and handed it to him. He popped it open and lifted it to his lips, all while eyeing me knowingly.

"So, was working for The Man all you hoped it would be?" He pulled a chair out, spun it around and straddled it.

His long legs stretched out under the kitchen table. He had a tall, thin physique but was still muscular, particularly his arms. I guess years of playing the bass will do that for you.

Jasper made it clear on several occasions that he thought it was a mistake for me to accept the job at Cullen Publishing.

I suppose I could have just admitted to him that he was right, but for some reason I felt compelled to defend my new job.

I raised my chin and narrowed my eyes at the gloating best friend that sat before me.

"As a matter of fact, it was more than I hoped for." I threw him my best poker face, which unfortunately was not very good. "My co-workers are extremely pleasant people." I added for good measure.

Our eyebrows rose up at the same time, wise ass grins spread across our faces.

We really were like twins…except he had boy parts.

He leaned forward a little, resting his arms across the back of the chair. His jet black rocker hair fell across his face as he tilted his head down, causing his fedora to slide forward a bit.

Oh how he cherished that hat.

The thing looked like it was older than dirt. Yet somehow it added to his charm or maybe headded to its charm. I was never really sure.

"So…yeah they're very fun people to be around." I continued on, raving about my new co-workers. They were fun. I wasn't lying about that.

He didn't look convinced. I took a long swig of my beer, ignoring the skeptical look he shot me.

"Fun huh," his smirk had a bit of a frown to it. "Is that why you look like you just lost your best friend?" He tipped his beer at me in accusation. "Who I might add is an amazing guy and not going anywhere." His lips rolled up into a lazy smile.

That smile didn't have the same effect on me as it did on just about every other woman he chose to unleash it on. He was like my brother for Christ's sake.

Truth be told that smile had no effect on my girlie parts at all, but it did have a killer effect on my heart…and he knew it.

I exhaled hard while slowly shaking my head at him in protest.

I leaned back against the refrigerator door and absentmindedly began to pick at the label on my bottle, the scattered remnants dropped to the floor like tiny snowflakes. I watched this process in utter amazement.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"Come on…tell me about your day, Darlin." His tone became softer, sweeter.

Normally, I would have been talking a mile a minute about my day from the moment he stepped through the door, but for some reason I felt conflicted about it.

If there was one thing I was  _not,_  it was an indecisive person, yet that's exactly how I felt. Suddenly it seemed I was questioning every thought that popped in my head.

"Not much to tell," I shrugged. "I met some cool people, gave my boss a massage and came home." My tone was dull and uninterested, I even yawned for effect.

Who was I kidding?

Of course he saw right through me. You don't spend just about every day of the past fifteen years with someone and not know when they're trying to bullshit you.

He brushed his hand across his jaw, lightly scratching at the stubble he found there.

His eyes bore into mine. "Izzybell, you better tell me what's going on in that stubborn head of yours right now."

His drawl was enhanced when he became irritated,  _right_ became  _raht_ and  _now_  got a twang so fierce it put cowboys everywhere to shame.

My grandmother called me Izzybell. I missed her so much. She had more sass than anyone I'd ever known and the heart and soul of a gifted artist. She always lived her life to the fullest.

She didn't remember much of her youth and it wasn't due to old age, if you know what I mean. Granny knew how to party like a rock star.

We had the same laugh.

I strongly suspect she suffered with laughter control issues her whole life, but whenever she had a fit of laughter it was infectious and uplifting. She certainly didn't look like a freak, the way I did.

Jazz promised her he'd watch out for me. Apparently he took that promise  _very_  seriously. Sometimes I wasn't sure if he thought he was my big brother or my father.

I was actually six months older than him, but you'd never know it by the way he acted. He used that nickname knowing it would crash down my walls.

Conniving little bastard.

We engaged in a brief stare off. Oddly enough we had the ability to communicate with our eyes. Over the years it had proven to be quite handy.

After several minutes of eye talk I finally caved.

"Fine," I huffed, "I'm frustrated, okay? My boss is an arrogant fat cat that treats everyone around him like complete shit." I glared at him undeservingly.

"How shocking!" He feigned surprise. "Seriously, Bella. What did you expect to find in corporate America… equality?" He scoffed, looking thoroughly disgusted. "You're much smarter than that."

"No," I grumbled. "I didn't expect equality." I hesitated a moment, trying to figure out what in the hell I expected and came up blank. "I… don't know what I expected, but I certainly didn't expect to be treated like a servant." Bitterness laced my words.

I hated being bitter. Being bitter sucked. Perhaps the beer wasn't cutting it. Damn! I knew I should have gone for the hard liquor _._

"So, you told him to shove it up his ass." He stated as though it were a given. I wondered what that said about me. People would never assume that of Angela.

"I let him know he doesn't scare me." I said before sipping my liquid therapy, enjoying the icy cold sensation as it trickled down my throat, slowly washing away the bitter taste left in my mouth.

I may have smiled a bit at the memory of Edroar's shocked expression when I told him he didn't frighten me.

A bright smile lit up Jasper's face. "That's my girl," He boasted. "You don't have to put up with that cake eater's bullshit. I told you to come work with me."

He jumped up from his chair and quickly made his way to the stereo in the living room, as though the conversation was over.

"And I told you I'm not slinging drinks to a bunch of drunken idiots wearing a skimpy ass costume for a living." I grumbled as he shuffled through my CD collection. "I'd rather work at the coffee house again." I mumbled, more to myself than him.

I went back to creating label flakes, it was hours of fun right at my fingertips. I made a silent vow to never drink from a can again.

I made it through half the label before the bottle was suddenly yanked from my hands and set down on the table; I was dragged over to the center of the kitchen.

"Jaaaazz what the F-"

' _Now everybody have you heard_

_If you're in the game, then the stroke's the word'_

I was in my stance, hands on my hips, fighting the ecstatic grin that was splattered across my face.

I rolled my eyes around like the snotty little bitch I was; he just smiled back at me wickedly, his beautiful white teeth gleaming like diamonds.

We had a shameless Billy Squier obsession. It was our guilty pleasure. He knew I was defenseless against it.

We spent the entire length of that song singing our guts out, dancing around like the eighties rock gods we were. I must admit Jasper's air guitar crushed mine every time.

That smooth bastard had some pretty slick moves.

My moves consisted of throwing up devil horns while banging my head around or just jumping up and down like I was having some kind of seizure. I always laughed the hardest when he spun us around the floor like we were ballroom dancing.

Several Squier songs and a six pack of beer later I had completely rocked myself out of my funk.

That's what best friends do for you.

I looked at the clock, it was quarter to six.

"Shit! I gotta go." I yelled out and downed the rest of my drink. I was physically unable to leave a beer unfinished. It just seemed so wrong.

"Where do you think you're running off to? I thought we were hanging out tonight?" He lit up a cigarette, took a drag of it and blew a thin stream of smoke from the corner of his mouth.

"Jazz we hang out every night." I reminded him wryly. I let out a small sigh as my shoulders dropped down. "I promised one of the girls I work with I'd meet up with her." I played it off as no big deal, which it really wasn't.

So why was I feeling so guilty about it?

"I thought you quit that job?" He sulked, while ashing his cigarette into an empty bottle.

Sometimes he really was like a little boy. A badass little boy with tattoos, piercings and a mouth so foul he could make a porn star blush….but still.

His eyes followed me as I dashed around the room like a woman on a mission. I zipped around turning off the stereo, cleaning up my label flakes from the floor, and putting down cat food for Yikes, who still couldn't be bothered to acknowledge my presence.

I looked around for my keys, which of course made me think of Jessica and I couldn't help but to laugh.

"What's so fucking funny?" He glared at me.

"What? Oh, nothing." I didn't want to explain it to him for fear of a laughter attack. I had more than enough of those for the day. "Are we a little testy tonight Jazzypoo?" I pinched his cheeks.

It annoyed the shit out of him, which made it all the more fun to do.

Jasper's pouty scowl made me smile widely. "I never said I quit." I rolled his cheeks around in little circles, distorting his face. "I merely said my boss was an arrogant fat cat that treats me like a servant." I patted the top of his beloved hat, which was totally off limits…again making it all the more fun.

He swatted my hands away from him as I giggled fiendishly.

"And you're okay with that?" He looked repulsed.

"No, of course I'm not  _okay_  with that, but I can't just quit my job. I've got bills to pay…and the people are nice there…and it's my plan A…" I suddenly started babbling random thoughts as they appeared in my mind, uncontrollably. It was like the floodgates had been opened.

The alcohol may have been a contributing factor because I just couldn't stop rambling on.

Jasper dropped his cigarette into his beer and placed it down on the table; then he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and slowly began to sway us side to side.

"Shhh…It's alright, Darlin, I understand. Just don't forget you have other options." He spoke softly.

Damn he was such a good friend.

I didn't get it. Why did I feel so unstable? It wasn't like me at all. I was spontaneous and carefree, not indecisive and over emotional _._

"Look, I know you don't want to work at the casino, but I bet if you start off as a waitress you'll get a job at their spa in no time." He squeezed my shoulder lightly for reassurance.

I smiled up at him and placed my hand over his, on my shoulder. That was my Jazz always trying to fix things for me.

His eyes grew serious. "No one would daretreat you like a servant around me. That's for damn sure," he fumed. I lowered my head onto his shoulder, sniffing him as I did so.

I didn't doubt him for a moment, the guy was about as badass as they came, but I wasn't worried about being treated like a servant, I was worried about being treated like a piece of meat.

Jasper was a blackjack dealer at Clearwater Casino.

It was more of a resort really, located on the Suquamish tribal reservation about half an hour north of Seattle. It was a gorgeous place, almost as stunning as Cullen Publishing.

He made really good money as a dealer and was a natural at it. His abundance of charm combined with his slick wit made him one of the casino's most popular employees.

Every time he sat me down to explain the rules of blackjack, I'd just nod my head attentively and then head for the roulette table the minute he finished speaking.

It always made him laugh.

The action at the blackjack table moved so quickly and the players seemed so serious and a bit hostile in my opinion, though Jazz vehemently disagreed.

I found the roulette players to be laid back and fun loving. I felt a real camaraderie with them, as though it was  _us_ against the house. It was a sure bet I'd leave the table with no money, but it was alright, because I took one for the team _._

Not to mention how cool it was watching that little ball of hope spin around the wheel on bated breath. It always gave me a rush.

The cocktail waitresses there wore very sexy tribal uniforms, tiny suede dresses, with plunging necklines, bordered with fringe, and topped off with matching headbands with bright colorful feathers.

They reminded me more of Native American showgirls than waitresses.

They looked beautiful of course, too beautiful perhaps, because I'd seen a few of them get groped by drunken fools on more than one occasion.

I definitely wouldn't last long as a waitress there; I'd knee those dirty bastards in the balls so fast they wouldn't know what hit them.

"Bella?" Jasper's voice drew me away from my violent thoughts.

"Yes?" I pulled away from my best friend remembering I had to get going.

"You know I'm not letting you drive anywhere." He was using his most fatherly of voices.

I let out a long sigh and smirked up at the Dadsper standing next to me. He really hated it when I called him that.

"Yeah, I know. I'm walking. I'm only going down the street." I grabbed my purse and was happy to find my keys inside it.

"Your co-worker lives down the street?" He followed me to the front door.

"Uh…no, I have no idea where she lives. I'm meeting her at The Bottleneck." I turned off the lights and opened the door.

He froze. "The Bottleneck." He repeated my words as though there must be some mistake. "You're hanging out at yuppie bars now?" His eyes widened from the shock of it.

"Jazz please, it's just a few drinks. You know yuppie bars aren't my thing." I rolled my eyes at the mere thought.

That was exactly why I didn't invite him to come with me. I knew he'd never be caught dead in a place like that. Normally I wouldn't either and he was calling me on it. I couldn't blame him for that.

He walked me to the bar grumbling along the way, but good naturedly so. The Bottleneck was on his way home. In all the years we'd been friends we always lived walking distance from one another.

It was one of our rules.

"You call me if you need anything." He drawled as we reached the entrance to the bar, little girl Bella giggled somewhere deep inside me.

I smiled up at him. "Don't I always?"

He tipped his hat and gave a playful wink in response.

He'd just turned away from me when out of nowhere a flying object struck him in the face full force.

"Incoming!" A woman's voice screeched.

Wait… I knew that voice.

It was a shoe. Jazz had to literally pull the stiletto heel out of his forehead, leaving a gaping wound behind. Blood gushed down his face at an alarming rate.

"What the fuck?" He yelled and then proceeded to spew a slew of filthy obscenities.

"Holy shit Jazz! Are you alright?" I frantically grabbed a hold of him and started shaking him around.

I was usually very calm in emergency situations, but the sight of blood was one of the few things that could make me panic. It was an involuntary reaction.

He grabbed hold of my hands stilling me instantly. I averted my eyes from the gruesome mess that had become his forehead.

"COME ON!" I screamed. "OH MY GOD…YOU NEED ICE AND BANDAGES!" I shouted at the top of my lungs to the empty space beside him.

I looked like an insane person.

The smell of his blood was actually making me feel a bit woozy and quite nauseous. I had a serious aversion to it. Always did. I was known for gagging from anything worse than a paper cut, it was so embarrassing. It made me feel like such a wuss.

I grabbed his hand and abruptly spun myself around, attempting to drag him into the bar with me, the sudden motion caused a powerful wave of dizziness, which rocked me so hard that I fell back, completely catching him off guard.

We dropped down to the pavement a tangled and bloody mess of screaming hysteria.

As I laid there dry heaving and covered in his blood, I heard what could only be described as a very peculiar tapping sound.

_Tap_

_Tap_

_Tap_

Slowly I raised my head up to see Jessica hopping toward us on one foot. She was hopping on the foot that still had a shoe on it, a shoe identical to the pink stiletto that lay beside Jasper's bloody head.

"I'm... so... sorry…that…was... totally... my… fault," she spoke each word as she hopped closer to us.

My stomach felt like a volcano about to burst. I rolled myself off Jasper who was busy reaching for his beloved fedora.

Had he left that god forsaken hat on his head it might have deflected the shoe or at least lessened the blow...but  _no_  he had to go and be all gentlemanly and now he was paying the price for it.

All I could think about was getting him inside the bar and getting help. I'm not ashamed to say I crawled over to the wall and began to scale myself up it, I felt too dizzy to just stand straight up.

I was just about standing when I felt a strong pair of hands lift me up the rest of the way….a strong pair of bloody hands.

Instinctively I gagged.

"Come on Bella, you're alraht Darlin."

Oh my god. He was soothing me. Good lord I was the absolute worst best friend ever.

We finally made our way into the bar hanging onto each other for dear life…alright I was hanging onto him for dear life, he was trying to keep us from falling over again, his vision was impaired from the massive amount of blood that was flowing down his face. I didn't even have anything to wipe it away with, it was just everywhere.

We staggered into the bar, it seemed like it took us hours to get there.

I was vaguely aware of the fact that Jessica was hopping behind us by the tapping sound I heard with each step we took.

"HELLO, CAN YOU HELP US PLEASE!" I screamed at the top of my lungs to the hostess standing directly in front of me, apparently I had lost the ability to speak at a normal volume.

"Oh my god what happened?" Alice's voice immediately rang out. She sprinted out of her seat toward us with the rest of the gang following close behind her.

Suddenly everything went from moving very slow to very fast. All in a matter of minutes we had ice packs, towels, water and many helping hands.

It took a little while but I finally managed to pull myself together. Alice was such a big help. She quickly began wiping the blood off me, and handed the messy towel to a thoroughly disgusted Emmett.

I sounded unstable and slightly manic as I gave a brief description of what happened, pausing midway through to introduce Jasper. They all said a sympathetic hello to him in unison.

He just nodded his bloody head in response.

Poor Jazz…so not how I hoped they would meet him.

A few minutes later Mike pranced his way down the main aisle of the bar, working it like a runway model. He was in the men's room when we came in, probably staring at himself in the mirror.

I watched as he quickly assessed the situation before him.

His eyes darted over to Jessica, who for some insane reason was very busy trying to balance herself on one foot, which was actually quite impressive; her arms were swinging all around. She looked like a warped circus act.

Of course a normal person would have just taken the damn shoe off or at the very least hobbled over to a chair and sat down.

But this was Jessica, therefore normal just didn't apply.

Mike's head quickly spun around to Jasper and I, slowly his eyes rolled over us, taking in our bloodied and haggard appearance. He made a sour face, as though he'd just sucked on a lemon.

He was stumped.

"Okay…okay…don't tell me." He placed his index finger on his lips while closing his eyes tightly. He remained in deep thought for several moments.

When he opened his eyes, they flew over to Jessica, "You…" He pointed at her, as she bobbed about holding her balance quite nicely. "Got mugged by this homeless man." He pointed to Jasper.

Jazz gave him a murderous look, which Mike completely ignored.

He tapped his finger against his lips a few times before he went on. "He pushed you down causing you to sprain your ankle," He glanced down at her bare foot. "You screamed for help just as Bella was coming around the corner." His eyes snapped over to me. "Bella quickly grabbed the shoe that had fallen off your foot when Gutterboy pushed you down."

He motioned toward Jazz again, but this time with a repulsed look on his face, to which Jasper grumbled "Fuck you, dick."

Without missing a beat Mike replied, "No thank you," and continued on. "Being the raging man hater she is, Bella jumped at the chance to beat him profusely with Jessica's shoe."

"HEY!" I yelled out and was totally ignored.

He just kept talking, his hand firmly placed on his outstretched hip as he did so. "Bella tossed Gutterboy across her mighty shoulders and carried him into the bar." His eyes slowly scanned over each of us. "I assume one of you had the sense to call the police, who will burst through that door at any moment and take him away."

He made a grand gesture as he motioned toward the door. The assholes we were, we all looked at the door as though it were actually about to happen.

Except Jasper of course who was glaring at Mike like he wanted to beat the shit out of him.

And who could blame him really?

Mike was sorely disappointed when Alice explained to him what really happened. He argued that his theory was more believable.

Jessica made sure she apologized profusely to anyone that would listen to her.

Emmett went and got the Bloody Shoe of Destruction from outside and gave it back to her. She wiped it off and put it on.

At least the hopping would stop, though her balancing act had become quite entertaining.

Rose, bless her soul, kept Jessica busy talking, out of the corner of my eye I watched her hands flailing, pink bracelets rattling around as she explained to a very bemused Rose how it all happened.

At that point, I didn't even want to know.

Obviously it was a complete accident. How did I not include Lucy Ricardo to Jessica's list of fictional counterparts? That should have been my first choice.

I knew she didn't mean any harm. The girl wouldn't hurt a fly, but I just couldn't deal with her at that moment.

I was worried about Jazz. I knew it wasn't a life threatening injury but still he was bleeding like a bitch and I wanted to get him to the hospital as quickly as possible.

I sent a quick text to Angela telling her that Jasper was struck in the head with a flying shoe and we were rushing him to the ER. As I was typing it out I felt an laughter attack bubbling beneath the surface.

I managed to fight it off, but it wasn't easy.

How heinously inappropriate would it be for me to break out into a hysterical fit of laughter in the middle of such chaos, unfortunately that was the nature of the beast.

I lowered my head in shame, thoroughly disgusted with myself.

Meanwhile the hostess, a busty blond little yuppie, was diligently taking care of Jasper. She had him sprawled out in a booth, practically straddling him, his head was covered in ice packs, he kept grumbling that he was 'fahn' as she gently wiped away as much blood as she possibly could.

It was futile really, because the more she wiped the more it poured out.

We wanted to call for an ambulance but Jazz adamantly refused….and when I say adamantly, I mean he called us every name in the book and tossed the hostess aside as he got up to leave.

He was so damn stubborn.

Only after I told him that I hurt my wrist when we landed on the pavement, was I finally able to convince him to take a taxi with me to the hospital. It was a total lie but I knew it would get that thick headed bastard to the emergency room.

I really hated lying to him, but it was more than obvious he needed a shit load of stitches at the very least.

Emmett and the gang were determined to come with us; even Mike insisted on going, he said he loved looking at all the pretty doctors. I told them it was completely unnecessary.

Everyone was standing around arguing about who was going where with whom. It was pure madness. The chaotic bickering was giving me a migraine. I quickly lost my patience.

I walked over to the center of the bar and cleared my throat forcefully. "WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE SHUT THE HELL UP!" I yelled out, my tone no longer sounded frantic, it was commanding.

All eyes instantly landed on me.

"Much better," I lowered my voice. "We are going to the hospital." I motioned toward Jazz, just in case his gaping wound didn't make it clear that I was referring to him.

"It's really not necessary for you to come along." Their mouths started to open and I raised my arm up to silence them, like some kind of crazy dictator. Surprisingly, it worked. They remained quiet as I continued. "But since you insist on it, let's go…NOW!"

I marched over to Jasper and grabbed him by the arm, yanking him away from  _The_ Hostess with the Mostest and dragged him out the door.

Yes, I was acting like a complete bitch, I was aware of that, but in my defense we would've stayed in that bar bickering for  _at least_  another fifteen minutes had I not.

Say what you will, but sometimes it takes a bitch to get the job done.

We needed two cabs to get the seven of us over to the hospital, since none of us had driven to the bar. Somehow we managed to hail the taxis rather quickly for a Monday night.

I actually ended up sitting between Mike and Jessica. Due to my blood aversion Jasper rode with Alice, Rose, and Emmett.

Oh and what an interesting car ride it was.

Mike spent the entire time bumping, grinding and oddly enough chanting, to the Indian pop music that blasted from the cabbie's radio, while Jessica questioned the driver about his religious preference of all things.

There was talk of cows, I remember that much.

Both cabs arrived at the same time and hurriedly we made our way to the help desk. Jazz questioned me about my wrist as I fed the admitting clerk his information, but I just waved him off telling him I'd get it checked out after he saw someone.

No point in telling him the truth before he was even seen by a doctor.

In the meantime the gang took over the waiting room. Lord knows what kind of trouble they were getting into out there.

He was briefly examined by a triage nurse, again he mentioned my wrist and again I waved him off. The boy was so thick headed.

The nurse took his blood pressure, weight and temperature, and noted the information on her clipboard. She asked him if he had a headache or felt nauseous and then told him he was going to need stitches.

Wow! What a surprise.

She walked over to the door with her clipboard held tightly against her chest and told us someone would come to bring Jazz into the ER to see the doctor in just a few minutes.

It wasn't long before a middle aged, dark haired nurse came to the door and called out his name.

We quickly followed her out into the hall.

She asked if I wanted to come along with him, to which he replied, "I definitely don't think that would be a good idea, she's squeamish."

He pointed at me and they shared a chuckle at my expense.

My hands flew to my hips. "I am not squeamish." I huffed. "I have an aversion to blood." I glared at both of them.

For some reason this made them chuckle even louder. I was just about to give them a piece of my mind when the nurse suddenly became stiff as a board.

"Dr. Cullen," she said, in a fearful tone. "I was just coming to get you." Her eyes were focused directly behind me.

It felt like déjà vu.

* * *

**A/N** : Yes, I know there was no Edroar in chapter 4. Sorry about that. But Jazz really wanted to get to know you. How could I refuse him? Have no fear Edroar will be back in full force next chapter.

**Definition of a Cake Eater** : Comes from the phrase, "Let them eat cake!" Many say it was spoken my Marie Antoinette while others say the quote was originally attributed to Maria Theresa of Spain. Supposedly during the French Revolution when the hungry French were begging for bread to eat Marie replied with "Let them eat cake."

**Fun Fact:**  Clearwater Casino is real. I put a link to it on my profile. I also added pictures of all the characters thus far and some of the locations. Mike sure is something to see, so check it out if you get a chance. I'm still looking for a picture of the massage room. I have yet to find something remotely close to what I imagine it to be.

**Marilyn Moo-Roe update:**  You won't believe this, but my beta has a Marilyn Moo-Roe statue in her town. I almost died when she told me. She tweeted me a picture of it and I posted it on my profile. It's hysterical. Jessica would be in heaven.

**Warm hugs**  to the bunker babes. I'm having so much fun getting to know you.

**That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think…it lessens the meds.


	5. Who Does That?

**A/N:** Psst! Are you in need of an angry tyrant? Well then you've come to the right place my friend. I just happen to have some more Edroar for YOU. As always I'll save my blabbering for later. Meet you at the bottom.

 **Happymess:** What can I say? You are the Pussycat to my Ma….the base to my exponent. Can I get any clearer than that?

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl with a new baby nephew. YAY! I'm an aunt guys!

 

* * *

_**Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.** _

**\- Albus Dumbledore**

* * *

The mood shifted from jovial to tense in an instant. The playful smile that was spread across the nurse's face quickly vanished. I watched as she looked down at her shoes rather intently.

"You're dismissed." The voice from behind me commanded. The nurse scurried off, her head hung low like a scolded puppy.

My god that tone…it sounded familiar.

_Did she just call him Dr. Cullen?_

I spun around to face the voice, not quite sure what to expect. I blinked a few times as I took him in. He was quite tall, in both stature and presence.

He had sleek blond hair and wore a long, white lab coat with a crisp blue shirt and tie beneath it.

I was never very good at judging peoples' ages, but he looked to be in his mid to late fifties.

He was handsome in all the classic ways. Some would say dashing, much like a movie star or perhaps a doctor you might find on a television show.

Yet, there was something unsettling about him. The jaw, the lips, his stance, it all looked a bit familiar to me. Curiously, I looked up into his eyes.

They were empty. Not haunted or angry or even annoyed, they were just completely void.

He flipped through the pages of the file he held in his hands and after several moments he looked at Jasper.

"Mr. Whitlock, follow me." He instructed coolly, then turned and walked away from us.

Jazz looked at me before following the doctor down the hall. "Go on out to the waiting room, I won't be long."

That made perfect sense, yet for some strange reason I didn't do that. Instead I shook my head and followed the doctor down the hall towards the exam room.

Jasper's startled voice called "Bella?" to my moving back.

I kept walking.

I entered the exam room and watched as the doctor placed the file down on the counter.

"Excuse me?" I called out to get his attention. He looked up, appearing mildly interested.

I quickly understood why the nurse had been so intimidated by this man. He certainly didn't give off a friendly vibe, though he didn't seem hostile either. He appeared emotionless actually, almost robotic.

I cleared my throat while he waited for me to speak. "Did the nurse say your name was Dr. Cullen?"

For some reason I just  _had_ to know.

"Yes." He replied dryly, still seeming completely uninterested in speaking with me.

Before I could respond Jazz was by my side. "Bella, what are you doing? Is it your wrist?" His face was covered with concern.

"Um…no." I admitted apprehensively. "It's just that Dr. Cullen seems familiar to me." I looked over to the doctor. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Edward Cullen of Cullen Publishing, would you?"

My face scrunched up as I asked him this question, as though it pained me to do so. Honestly, why I cared to know was beyond me.

Well, actually it wasn't. I was a snoop, plain and simple. Who was I kidding?

He didn't respond immediately, though he suddenly seemed much more interested in our conversation.

He took a few steps closer to me.

"Why would you want to know that?" His face remained expressionless, though I could sense his budding curiosity.

"Well, I work at Cullen Publishing," I started. "You sort of remind me of my boss and you have the same last name." I shrugged my shoulders impassively.

It really wasn't a big deal.

Though apparently it was, because a near palpable intensity filled the room, there was no mistaking it, even Jasper noticed, because instinctively he stepped closer to me.

After several moments of silence the doctor opened his mouth to speak.

"Edward is my son." He spat the words out, leaving them in the air to linger.

He turned away from us and began prepping for Jasper's stitches. My mind immediately filled with all sorts of nosey questions that were absolutely none of my business. I asked him a question. He answered it. End of story. Right?

Clearly, he had no intention of elaborating any further and I suppose when you think about it, what more should he say?

Did I expect him to start telling me stories of Edroar's youth? Not really. Yet I couldn't shake the harshness of his simple response. Didn't parents normally enjoy talking about their children? I mean, I knew mine didn't, but again I said normally.

I was so deep in thought that I didn't even notice that Jasper had moved over to the exam table. A nurse appeared in the doorway.

"Dr. Cullen, do you need assistance?" She smiled warmly at each of us.

"No." He replied, without even looking up.

She nodded her head and vanished quickly. I got the feeling that Doctor Cullen was about as popular around the hospital as his son was over at Cullen Publishing.

I wondered what sort of nickname they had picked out for him. I actually contemplated this for awhile. When I finally popped out of my bubble, Jazz was busy explaining what happened to his forehead.

"A shoe." The doctor nodded his head attentively as Jasper spoke. "You must beware of a woman scorned Mr. Whitlock," he sounded dead serious. "Though, it seems you've learned that lesson the hard way."

His voice remained stiff, completely void of emotion. It was peculiar to say the least, a bit creepy to be honest.

However, he did put forth the effort to make small talk with Jasper, probably to distract him from the fact that he was stitching up his gaping wound.

His  _very_ bloody, gaping wound.

I let out a small gag and then quickly recognized I needed to keep my eyes away from what was happening on the other side of the room, which really pissed me off because I wanted to prove I wasn't squeamish.

Disgruntled, I kept my eyes to the floor, though my ears were carefully tuned in to their conversation.

"Nah, I don't even know the girl. It was a freak accident."

" _Pfft,"_  I snickered to myself.  _Freak_ accident.

How appropriate.

I made a mental note to find out exactly how the freak caused the accident. Now that the shock of it had worn off I fully intended to ask Jessica.

"Hmm," there was a brief pause. "This may leave a scar, but I'll do my best to camouflage it."

I heard various indecipherable sounds. Perhaps instruments being placed on a table. I fought the urge to peek.

"Eh…that's alraht. Real men have scars." I could hear the smile in Jasper's voice.

He certainly wasn't vain by any means. I could only imagine what Mike's reaction would be if a doctor ever told him he may have a permanent scar on his precious face.

Hell, if it had been Mike that was at the receiving end of the Bloody Shoe of Destruction, Jessica would need to be on a plane creating a new identity right about now.

"That they do." The doctor agreed solemnly with Jasper's statement.

Edroar's father didn't seem angry like his hot headed son, but he did have a similar demeanor.

The 'Get the hell away from me' demeanor.

Apparently, sane people felt threatened by this and scurried away. Not me. It had the opposite effect. It intrigued me. Made me want to dig beneath the surface and find what lurked beneath.

Obviously, it was none of my business and I certainly wasn't about to harass the man, so I kept my mouth shut and continued staring down at the floor. No words were spoken for quite some time and I was getting pretty antsy. Just as I opened my purse in search of entertainment, Jasper broke the silence.

"Hey, doc? When you're finished would you take a look at Bella's wrist? She fell and hurt it."

Before the doctor could even respond I broke in.

"Uh, Jazz it's feeling much better now."

"Just let him look at it Bella," he insisted in his firmest voice.

I knew he wasn't going to let it go. I took a deep breath before making my confession.

"I lied."

"What?"

"I lied." I repeated with a small gulp. Slowly, I looked up to meet two sets of widened eyes.

I threw my hands up in the air. "I knew you wouldn't come to the hospital with me unless I told you I was hurt. You gave me no choice." I huffed defensively.

If he wasn't so damn stubborn I wouldn't have had to bullshit him. I was somewhat irritated with him for making me lie in the first place. In my opinion it was all his fault. I quickly came up with that theory and decided I really liked it.

Jazz shook his head in annoyance. "Oh, you're gonna pay for that Swan."

"Yeah..yeah. I'm scared." I teased back.

We shot eye darts at one another and after a few intense moments we broke out into playful smirks. We knew each other so well that we had most of our arguments without actually using words.

It was already forgotten. That's what I loved about my best friend, he wasn't overly dramatic. I quickly averted my eyes when I noticed Dr. Cullen reach for the needle. It wasn't long before I heard the doctor's voice giving instructions on how to care for the wound properly. Jazz thanked him and we were off.

We walked down the hall leaving the enigma that was Edward Cullen's father behind us, hurriedly making our way to the nurses' station so Jasper could sign the release forms.

The pretty, redheaded nurse we found sitting there giggled needlessly at anything and everything Jasper said to her. It was quite entertaining.

I watched as he charmed the girl to pieces. He wasn't even trying. I swear, it was a sight to see. It only took a few minutes before the innuendos had gotten way too cheesy for me to handle any longer.

I felt the urge to gag and it had nothing to do with the bloody patients surrounding me.

"I'll meet you in the waiting room Jazzanova," I said with a wink. "I want to make sure the gang is behaving themselves."

I just about made it to the double doors that led to the waiting room when I heard a strong male voice behind me.

"Excuse me, Bella is it?"

I spun around to find a very statuesque Dr. Cullen looking down at me.

"Yes."

"Might I talk to you for a moment…in private?"

"Sure?" I replied sounding as though it were a question, which it kind of was. What did he want to speak with me about…in private?

He motioned for me to follow him. We walked down a long hall and around a few corners until we came to his office. He opened the door and ushered me in.

All the while my mind raced with possible scenarios of what on earth he wanted to say to me.

"Please, have a seat." He motioned to the chair before his desk.

I sat down and of course instantly scanned his office for photos and other personal objects.

Nothing.

It was as though it was his first day on the job…or his last. I mean there were various degrees and certificates on the walls, but not one photo, not a single memento. I did learn his first name was Carlisle.

How regal.

"Now then, Miss…?" He looked at me expectantly.

"Swan," I replied cautiously. "But I much prefer Bella."

"Very well, Bella." He sat down, leaning back in his chair a bit as he did so. "May I ask how well you know my son?"

"Not very well at all, today was my first day on the job." I answered respectfully.

"I see. Are you an author?" He hedged, clearly trying to feel me out.

He was a much more subtle man than his son. However, I must admit I was not a fan of beating around the bush. I never understood the point of it, probably why I was so horrible at small talk.

"No, I'm a massage therapist." I crossed my legs, instantly noticing the blood spots that decorated my favorite jeans.

"Mmm. Interesting, Edward has a personal massage therapist." He noted, as though this held some deep meaning to him.

"He's never mentioned that to you?" I was genuinely curious. From what I understood Mr. Cullen was militant about his massages. Wouldn't a father know that type of thing?

"No," he replied curtly. "Could I ask you a favor?" He sat up, stiff as a board, his void eyes focused directly on mine.

"Uh…what kind of favor?" I learned never to blindly answer yes to a loaded question such as that.

"I'd like you to deliver a message to my son for me. Would you do that?" His tone was calm, cool and slightly robotic. His face was a blank slate.

"I don't understand. Why would you need me to give your son a message?" Surely the man could at least tell me that much.

He didn't respond. Instead he scribbled away on a notepad, then neatly folded the paper and placed it in an envelope, which he then sealed.

He extended his hand out to me.

I found myself reaching out and taking the envelope from him even though I hadn't actually agreed to deliver the message.

"That will have to do for now." He stated cryptically.

He stood and made his way across the room, opened the door and then looked down at me expectantly.

"I won't keep you any further." His lifeless eyes quickly darted away from mine, settling out into the hall.

And just like that I was dismissed.

I probably should have been pissed by the way he was acting. Normally I would have told him to shove his message up his ass for dismissing me so coldly, but there was something about the man that told me he wasn't intentionally being disrespectful.

There was something about Dr. Carlisle Cullen I recognized in that moment.

It took me a little while to place it, but once I did I couldn't believe I of all people hadn't realized it sooner.

He was uncomfortably numb.

Now the question quickly became why _?_ As I shuffled down the hall I found myself feeling unsettled. I looked down at the envelope I held in my hands.

What did he write?

Why didn't he just mail it or email it or better yet call or even text his son for crying out loud? The need to ask someone to deliver a handwritten message by foot no longer existed...or so I thought.

I mean, what if he hadn't met me? How important could the message really be if he hadn't tried to get it to him sooner? Or perhaps he had. Damn! My nosey mind was in overdrive.

My gut was telling me there was a reason Dr. Cullen was uncomfortably numb. If so, did that mean there was a reason Edroar was an angry tyrant?

I placed the envelope carefully in my purse.

Out of sight out of mind, I thought as I closed my pocketbook. I couldn't allow myself to obsess over the contents of that envelope any longer. Besides, how personal could the message be if he trusted a complete stranger to deliver it?

I pushed open the double doors and made it about halfway down the hall before I was abruptly whisked away.

I barely got out a "What the..." before I saw the body of the tiny tsunami leading the way.

"Come on Bella, we need you!"

"That's it. I'm buying mace." I grumbled as we flew down the hall.

She dragged me into a crowded waiting room. Though, the people there were doing much more than waiting. I struggled to figure exactly what it was they were doing. Finally I gave up and looked at Alice totally perplexed.

"Charades…ER edition." She said as though that would make any freaking sense to me at all.

"Come again?"

She let out a tiny giggle and looked up at me as though I were a complete moron. "You've never played charades before?"

I felt my eyebrows tighten. "No…I mean, yes, of course I've played charades before." I rolled my eyes around obnoxiously. "When I was a child." She couldn't be serious.

"Oh good, so you'll pick it up quickly then. The general rules remain the same. Though based on the edition we do make some allowances."

Damn, she was serious.

"Edition?"

Her head nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, we always play the game based on our circumstances." She waved her hand around the room. "Tonight we're in an Emergency room so all the secret words must be related to a hospital in some way." She threw me a sweet smile. "It's really quite fun, I promise you."

I looked around and noticed the people were actually divided into two teams.

On the left side of the room there was Mike, Emmett, a frail looking elderly woman, an inked up biker dude and a stuffy looking businessman.

Interesting mix.

I could tell by the way Mike was barking out orders to them that he was their leader. God help them _._  They seemed to be in a bit of turmoil.

I glanced over to the other team which consisted of Jessica, Rose, a cute freckle faced little boy, and a guy wearing hockey gear, he was massive.

"You can be on my team and Jasper can be on Mike's."Alice offered in a whisper voice. "Oh, unless you think he's still holding a grudge against Mike for thinking he was a homeless man?" She brought her finger to her chin in contemplation. "But then again Mike didn't gauge his face out the way Jessica did."

She scrunched up her nose as she continued to weigh the pros and cons of which team Jasper should be on.

I was just about to tell her there was  _no_   _way_  in hell Jasper would be up for party games,  _especially_ with them, when he appeared in the doorway.

Just like me he struggled to take in the situation before him and just like me he failed to do so. He scanned the room a few times before giving me the same perplexed look I had given Alice.

"Charades…ER edition." I explained with a chuckle.

"Right. Of course." He shook his head incredulously.

Alice walked straight over to Jasper and gave him a warm smile.

"How's your head?" She asked, seeming genuinely concerned.

I hadn't known her long, but it was clear that Alice Brandon was no phony. I really liked that about her.

"Ah…It's been better, but I'll survive." Jazz said through a lazy smile, scratching the back of his neck. He always did that when he was uncomfortable.

"Well, that's good to hear because we need you to even out our teams." She was still smiling up at him warmly.

"Nah, I'm not feeling up to playing games tonight."

Yep, knew he'd say that.

Alice frowned at his response. "Well, how about if you're exempt from acting? Just play one round with us. I bet you'll make a wonderful guesser." She praised. "And you really need to stay alert after a blow to the head like that."

Her tone was soft and endearing, not at all spastic or pushy the way she usually sounded whenever she spoke to me.

"Come on, you can be on my team." She offered slyly, and then whispered, "We're totally kicking ass."

I almost cackled out loud at hearing the word ass come out of sweet little Alice's mouth. Jazz too, I saw him stifle a chuckle.

After a few moments of contemplation he slowly nodded his head in agreement and was promptly led over to Alice's team.

What the hell?

My eyes widened a bit in disbelief. That tiny tsunami had just charmed the great charmer himself. I never thought I'd live to see the day.

One round turned to three and before I knew it I was captain of my team and in a heated debate with Mike over strategy.

It was a hostile takeover. I convinced my teammates to vote him out of the captain position.

We were getting our asses kicked badly and I had to act fast. I hated losing…at anything.

Sometime during round two there was a pizza delivery. It wasn't long before we generated a small audience and not long after that we were kindly asked to vacate the premises if we were no longer in need of treatment.

The nerve!

I was right in the middle of acting out a heart attack for Christ's sake.

My team lost, but not by very much. Damn that ten year old charades prodigy...Tommy. If it wasn't for him, we would have clobbered them.

Somehow, Alice managed to get Jasper totally wrapped up in the game. He was highly competitive like me, so I knew he wanted to win, but I couldn't help but notice he was actually having a good time.

He was laughing so hard he had trouble catching his breath. I hadn't seen him laugh like that with anyone other than me in…well, ever, really.

It made me smile.

It was pretty late when I got home that night. Ange was already asleep. I sent her a text from the ER to let her know everything was alright. I made a decision not to complain to her about Mr. Cullen's rude behavior.

What purpose would that really serve other than to upset the girl? There was nothing she could do about it and to be honest the man was my boss not my friend, he was just the means to an end for me.

I needed to accept the fact that I worked for an insufferable tyrant and just move on already.

It certainly wasn't ideal, but after some contemplation I discovered overall the pros of working at Cullen Publishing outweighed the cons and until that changed I was going to work hard at being the best employee I could be.

Like Alice said, he was just one man among many. I needed to find common ground with him. He had to have a rational side. How else could he be a successful businessman?

As I drifted off to sleep that night I vowed to find that part of him however small it may be.

* * *

I had an early breakfast with Angela the next morning in the company cafeteria, though it seemed more like a posh eatery if you asked me.

She looked stunned when I told her I liked my job.

I tried not to lay it on too thick. I talked mostly about the club staff and how fun they were. I kept cracking up hysterically while talking about Jessica. I almost snorted milk through my nose when I got to the part about her locking herself in the house.

Seriously who does that?

"So what about Mr. Cullen?" She asked, nervously. Apparently she was finished listening to my rainbows and unicorns account of my first day.

"What about him?" I replied while chomping on my bagel.

"Well...uh," she fidgeted a bit with her napkin. "What do you think of him?"

"Oh. Umm..." I wiped my mouth of all the gooey butter that coated my lips. "Well, he's a fat cat that's for sure. But nothing I can't handle." I shrugged my shoulders and watched as her face lit up.

She let out a sigh of relief. "I should have known he wouldn't scare you, Bella. I don't know what I was so worried about."

"You worry too much Ange. Life's too short for that." I'd told her this so many times.

I hated to see her worry. I definitely didn't want to add my name to the long list of things that she freaked out about on a daily basis.

Besides, it was the truth. I could handle the fat cat. I certainly wasn't worried about that, but could I handle him without getting myself fired? Well, now that remained to be seen.

* * *

It was eight o'clock on the dot when the lion entered my den.

He looked subdued.

"Morning." I said cordially, intentionally dropping the 'good' assuming all of his mornings were horribly bad.

"Ms. Swan," he replied in a velvety smooth voice.

Odd.

Not that I knew what I was expecting…as usual, but his calm cool demeanor surprised me. It was an instinct for me to look directly into his eyes. I knew they'd tell me everything I needed to know. I wanted to get a better read on him.

The deep seeded anger and scorching intensity was there as always, but this time I spotted flecks of sadness as well. I wondered why. What would make someone like him feel sad?

Not my business.

"I had breakfast this morning…in the cafeteria." I blurted out of nowhere.

Like he really cared.

I was totally incapable of small talk. What a horrible disability to have. There really should be some sort of telethon for the affliction. It was a silent killer, because I was seriously about to die of embarrassment.

He hesitated a few moments, quietly waiting for me to get to the point of my random statement. There wasn't one, of course, other than the mind blowing fact that I ate breakfast.

Spread the word!

Sadly, it was my pitiful attempt to find his rational side. What the hell was I thinking? Clearly I wasn't, because I was about to make a complete fool of myself.

I couldn't have that.

So I abruptly spun around and headed for the door to save myself the humiliation, fully aware that I now looked totally unstable.

In my defense, I knew it would only get worse the harder I tried to patch it up. It was best to abort my mission and configure a new approach at a later time.

I glanced back at him before opening the door.

"I had breakfast this morning…in my office." He smirked at me, devilishly.

I was frozen in place, as if his words had just zapped me with some sort of magic laser beam.

There was silence for several moments, it felt intense, but it wasn't hostile. I didn't know exactly what it was. Our eyes were locked together. I knew that much.

"Bagel…with extra butter." I babbled moronically, as I stood there holding his gaze.

He contemplated my words for a few moments, soaking in my profound declaration.

"Cockles….with laverbread." He countered, his eyes brightened considerably.

My nose scrunched in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"Have you never had cockles, Ms. Swan?" His brow rose curiously.

I smirked wickedly."Wouldn't you like to know?"

Was this actually working? Had we really found common ground with bagels and cockles? I had no clue what the hell those were, but apparently they loosened him up so they were a good thing.

As though he'd heard my thoughts he suddenly stiffened and broke our eye contact off. It felt like a Band-Aid being ripped from my skin.

He turned his face away from mine and when he turned back I knew I was staring into the face of a lion.

"I believe we're through discussing breakfast choices." He said dryly.

The image of his robotic father came to mind. I pushed it aside. It would be more professional to make an appointment with him to discuss the letter, rather than to bring it up during his scheduled massage time.

"Of course." I nodded my head slowly, still a bit confused as to what had just taken place.

I quickly excused myself. When I returned I dimmed the lights before making my way over to the table.

He was lying flat on his stomach with his arms resting at his sides, eyes shut. This time I went directly to work. No gawking. No matter how peaceful he looked when he closed those tumultuous eyes of his.

The drastic change fascinated me.

He was tense. Very tense. Even more so than his last massage. I heated up his skin with my palms and then kneaded deep into the muscle.

My fingers slid over his smooth skin like a paintbrush on a canvas. I pinched, rolled and squeezed my way up and down his back, then all over his arms, neck and legs.

It wasn't long before I was in my zone and he was in his. The sounds of his deep breathing filled the air.

His light snores were actually the only sound in the room. Thankfully, this time it would remain that way since I made absolute sure that god forsaken phone of mine was turned off.

I heard a few soft groans and my eyes shot directly to his face, worried that I somehow hurt him, but he was still fast asleep. His mouth hung slightly open, his ruby red lips formed a distinct O shape. I watched as his eyes moved around beneath his lids.

Once again I found myself wondering what on earth someone like Edward Cullen dreamt about.

I spent extra time catering to his body's needs. It always pained me to feel such pressure beneath my fingertips. I found it quite therapeutic to help my clients release their tension.

It felt good to set free all that stagnate energy. I tried my best to revitalize it and balance out the body.

Once I was satisfied with my work I realized it was time to wake the sleeping beast. I certainly didn't want to startle him. I learned  _that_  lesson the hard way.

I gently tapped on his shoulder and whispered softly in his ear. "Mr. Cullen, our session is over."

Nothing.

I tried again this time tapping a bit harder and raising my voice slightly, but he still didn't flinch.

Hmmm…how strange. That had always worked for me in the past. Of course he would have to be the exception.

He did look kind of tired when he came in, exhausted really, the more I thought about it _._ I contemplated letting him just sleep as long as he needed, but then realized he probably had important meetings to attend.

I thought about calling Alice to find out, but realized that wouldn't be right. Waking him up was part of my job…but how?

The last time he woke up only after I let out a blood curdling scream as 'Baby Got Back' blasted in the background. Surely there had to be a better way.

I looked around the room for inspiration.

I was continuously tapping him on the shoulder like a bratty child and raising my voice in small increments as my eyes scanned the room.

Nothing

It was crazy. All I wanted to do was wake him up without having to scream or do something to startle him.

Perhaps cockles weren't a breakfast food after all…maybe they're a narcotic.

Could Edroar have a drug problem? It would certainly explain the mood swings. Just as I was about to give up and shout directly into his ear my eyes landed on a small spray bottle sitting on the cabinet across the room _._

I continued tapping as I stared at it. My eyes focused on that one object. He still had yet to flinch. The man had somehow slipped into a coma.

I was totally Googling cockles. It was probably some new yuppie drug for rich people.

I stomped over to the cabinet making as much noise as humanly possible. I grabbed the bottle giving it a quick trial spray, waving my hand around in the air as I did so.

Water

Oh... and it was a cool mist….light... pleasant…refreshing.

Perfect! It would gently cool his body down, waking him peacefully, without startling him.

I was smirking to myself for being such a genius as I headed back over to the massage table.

Then it hit me.

What the hell did I think the spray bottle was doing there to begin with? The last massage therapist already figured it out. I bet the last massage therapist was probably sick of his cockle induced comas and quit.

Whatever, I was just relieved I caught on before humiliating myself by standing there screaming at him. How unprofessional would that be? This was a wonderful way to end his massage as well as the perfect way to wake him up.

It was a win win. I didn't care who thought of it.

I stepped several feet away and began spritzing him. It was such a fine mist I worried that it might not work. I sprayed my way up and down his back and he still hadn't flinched.

Jesus! How did he not feel that?

I continued to spritz his arms and then the back of his neck.

His arm twitched slightly.

Oh thank God.

I tapped his shoulder and softly said. "Mr. Cullen, our session is over."

Nothing _._

He was just maddening. Without even thinking about it I spritzed his face. It wasn't at close range or anything and it was just water. His face was covered with a cool burst of refreshing mist.

He wrinkled his nose a bit and then licked his lips.

He made a peculiar face and his eyes popped open.

I smiled smugly at my victory.

Rise and shine cocklehead.

His eyes clenched shut and his face distorted into a painful looking wince.

"Ow! FUCK!" He groaned. "What the hell did you just spray on me?" He was wiping his face frantically.

I rolled my eyes. What a freaking baby.

"It's just water." I said holding back a laugh. "See." I swung the bottle back and forth in front of his face.

Jeez! Wasn't he used to this by now?

He sat up wiping his eyes and blinking furiously. "That is NOT water!" He growled.

"Yes, it is." I snapped back at him. What the hell was he talking about?

I sprayed my hand again, watching the clear liquid land on my skin. I sniffed my fingers, there was no scent.

He must be tripping.

He jumped up and nearly knocked me over as he darted to the sink. He began flushing his eyes out, groaning as he did so.

I raised my hand to my face again, shaking my head in disbelief at his dramatics. Then very lightly I ran my tongue across my fingertips.

BLECH!

The foulest most god awful taste that ever existed assaulted my mouth. It. Was. Vile. I gasped and gagged and coughed and spit. I would have gladly chopped my tongue off just to get that wretched taste out of my mouth.

_Holy shit! That's NOT water!_

I dropped the bottle the instant I made the realization. It hit the floor with a loud thud.

Oh God! Not good Bella. I felt myself begin to panic.

Did I seriously just poison my boss?

Who does that?

* * *

 **A/N** : So have I mentioned I'm a h00r of many flavors... cliffies being just one of the many? What the hell is in that bottle? What's in the letter? What's a freaking cockle? And most importantly…is Edroar standing naked at the sink? Things that make you go hmm…

 **Fun Fact:**  A mist of alcohol or water sprayed over the back, neck, and face is very refreshing. You can even add a few drops of essential oil to the water for additional benefit.

 **Uncomfortably Numb:** Incapable of feeling emotion; enervated; prostrate: numb with grief to the point of discomfort.  _Not to be confused with "Comfortably Numb" which is a kickass Pink Floyd song._

 **Need More** : My super human, practically perfect in every way beta Happymess, created a kickass blog for me. I'm so excited! It's got loads of info on there and other really cool bloggy type stuff. I'll be posting teasers too, as soon as I can figure how to do so. The link is on my profile so please check it out.

**Warm hugs**  to the mystery folks over at A Different Forest that have been pimping out my crazy little tale. I'll be h00ring it up over there very soon. Looks like my newest addiction.

**Special hugs**  to Cara2lalala for making a gorgeous depiction of the massage room. You can find it on my profile. I really wanted to meet up with you and Swino in NYC, darn childbirth it's SO unpredictable.

 **Jazz** is thrilled with all the lovin he got from chapter 4. He said to make sure I throw some darlins your way. Edroar of course is quite unhappy about sharing his readers with that southern charmer. He's SO darn possessive.

 **Blame game:**  I totally Blame Dr. Carlisle Cullen for the delay in this chapter. He was being quite the difficult character. It had absolutely  _nothing_ to do with the fact that I'm a h00ry slut eyed fanfic reader. But please come follow me on twitter to keep me on track (at) tropicalsorbet

 

 **That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think…it soothes my aching soul.


	6. Hells Bells

**A/N:** I know… I know I left that Fat Cat standing at the sink far too long. Shame on me! Looks like I better shut the hell up and meet you folks at the bottom. Oh wait, just in case there was any confusion at the end of chapter 5 Bella said 'Blech!' when she tasted the liquid not Bleach.

**Happymess:** My beloved beta whom should never be rejected for anything…ever. I'm nothing but a comma phobic tweak demon without you. May your crops always be bountiful and fertile.

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl with a husband that makes chocolate covered bacon.

 

* * *

_**I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.**_

_**-The Lord of the Rings**_

* * *

"Don't just stand there. Get me a towel!" the Tyrant barked at me from the sink, jolting me out of my shock induced haze.

I darted across the room to the closet and grabbed a towel from the shelf, still wondering what the hell I just sprayed all over my boss. I hurried my way back to the sink, towel in hand, cursing my horrible luck.

Edroar was busy flushing his eyes with water, mumbling various obscenities… stark naked.

In all the insanity I hadn't even realized it, but there he stood, bare as the day he was born. My eyes widened a bit as they took him in. He looked like a living statue and was surely just as cold. There wasn't a flaw on his obnoxiously perfect body.

It was so annoying.

All that beauty wasted on someone with such an ugly disposition. His outer shell was created in the image of an angel, but inside he was filled with demons.

Being his massage therapist, I was well aware of his outer perfection; I couldn't miss it. Now, I was getting acquainted with just about all of him. Though, a certain body part in particular was obscured by the base of the sink.

Not that I was looking or anything.

For some reason my eyes were drawn to a small, diamond shaped birthmark on his left butt cheek. I smirked at the sight of it.

Even the man's ass was snobby and affluent.

I averted my eyes elsewhere and quickly made my way over to his side, handing him the towel. "Here you are, Mr. Cullen." My voice sounded as sweet as pie.

He swiped the towel from my hands, grumbling angrily to himself in what sounded like another language. I didn't recognize it, but I got the distinct feeling whatever he was saying wasn't very flattering to me.

Edroar wiped his face with the towel and then wrapped it around his waist. He lowered his enraged and slightly swollen eyes to meet mine, blinking more rapidly than usual.

"I'm sorry," I blurted out before he could even speak.

"Unacceptable," he growled.

"If I could just explain to you wha-"

"Get out," he barked, his face filled with rage.

"But if you would just please le-"

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! RIGHT NOW!" he roared in my face, full force, unleashing his inner lion on me.

If I hadn't heard it for myself I never would've believed it. There really was an actual roar underlining each word he spoke.

It was thunderous and feral.

I watched in awe as his entire body seemed to morph into a beast like entity. The fact that his eyes were red and swollen only added to his carnivorous effect.

I couldn't think straight. I stood there frozen in place with my mouth hanging open, gaping up at him in shock. My heart pounded wildly in my chest.

Then I felt it… moisture forming in the corners of my eyes.

_No!_

My inner rock star got down on her knees and begged me not to cry in front of him. Time seemed to slow down. It was as though everything was happening in slow motion.

The only sound that could be heard was the low growl rolling from his mouth. It was faint, but I could hear it. Hell, I could feelit.

I watched as my arm rose up high in the air, a lone finger pointed directly at his angry face.

"Don't roar at me." My tone was lethal. I hardly recognized it. "That's unacceptable," I spat the words out and then quickly retracted my finger.

He looked as though he were about to bite it off.

We embarked in a hostile standoff, eyes battling eyes, lips snarling at lips. There was lots of growling going on and it wasn't just coming from him.

Actually, I was surprised to learn that somewhere deep inside of me there was a very teeny voice telling me to get the hell away from him.

The voice of sanity.

Unfortunately, it was stifled by the much louder and bitchier voice that demanded I show him he couldn't scare me away with his mighty roar.

So I went into my stance, and gave him my deadliest bitch eyes ever. Of course, he immediately pummeled them with his evil glare. I could never hope to match the intensity of it, but I damn well tried my best.

I took a step closer to show him I wouldn't back down. He moved a step closer to me in turn.

There was an animalistic nature to our interaction. The sight, sound and scent of danger bombarded my senses. Tiny hairs all over my body stood at attention, pointing at the threatening beast before me.

My adrenaline pumped wildly through my system, bringing on a rush of power that flowed through my body like a drug.

It was invigorating, like the terrifying thrill you feel on a roller coaster or perhaps skydiving…without a parachute.

I wanted to see what he was capable of…what I was capable of. I'd completely lost all sense of reason. All rational thought left my mind. I didn't care.

It was crazy.

I felt his breath hot on my hair, scorching the follicles with its heat. The green of his eyes darkened so that they reminded me of onyx.

Dark black stones, wrapped up in swollen red lids. Eyes that hated the world around them.

"I'm not afraid of you." I said, in a firm tone.

"You should be," he snarled. His lips curled up at the corner in a sinister sneer.

A demonic look flickered around in his eyes. I could practically see the wicked thoughts running through his mind. It should have scared the hell out of me. It didn't. It made me want to push him further.

"Why are you so angry?" I wondered aloud.

"I thought that would be obvious." He glanced over at the spray bottle on the floor.

I rolled my eyes. "I'm not talking about that."

"Perhaps you should be. What did you spray on me?" He demanded to know.

"I have no idea. " I shrugged my shoulders. "I thought it was water."

He glared at me in response, his eyes drilling holes into mine.

"You wouldn't wake up. I kept tapping on your shoulder and speaking louder and louder, but nothing worked. Then I saw that bottle and I just thought..." I looked away; suddenly my brilliant idea seemed a bit odd.

"You just thought what Ms. Swan, that you should spray a mystery liquid all over my body?" He raised a brow at me menacingly.

"It wasn't a mystery liquid at that time. It was water, okay? I told you I thought it was water. I would never spray a mystery liquid on you." I shook my head in exasperation.

He raised his arm, pointing his finger directly in my face, mockingly. "Yet, that's exactly what you did."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I made a mistake. I apologize." I held my hands up in peace. "If you would have told me how your last massage therapist woke you at the end of your sessions this would never have happened." My pride just wouldn't allow me to take the full blame….for anything.

There was silence.

He looked away uncomfortably for a brief moment. "I've never fallen asleep before." His sneer dropped into a pensive frown.

My eyes widened. "Never?"

He scowled at me. "No."

I was stunned. He'd fallen into a deep sleep in both of my sessions with him. Not that it really mattered. It just seemed a little strange to me that he'd  _never_  done that before.

"Oh." I dropped my stance.

Something about his confession and the confused look on his face put me at ease. I should have known better because the minute I relaxed the lion pounced.

"If I require medical attention it will be deducted from your pay." He warned coolly. "You are dismissed." He waved his hand at me and turned to walk away.

"What?" I practically shouted.

He ignored me and kept walking.

I followed him.

He must have sensed me stalking closely behind him because he stopped abruptly causing me to crash right into his diamond studded ass.

He tossed a disgusted look over his shoulder. "What is it now?"

"I'm just wondering why you expect me to pay for your medical bills." I was speaking to his bare back. "It was an accident. You know that. I'm very sorry it happened, but it certainly wasn't intentional." I struggled to keep my tone respectful, never an easy thing to do with him.

In one swift move he spun around and lowered his face to mine. He moved so quickly it took my breath away. He was far more intimidating at close range. His nose was practically touching mine. I fought back the urge to swallow forcefully.

Red puffy eyes widened at me. "You should be grateful you still have a job. Don't push me." He glared a few seconds longer before storming off.

Well, I certainly found common ground with him…battle ground.

God only knew what his medical bills would cost. I had no savings, except for the few bucks I kept stashed away in a stuffed penguin on my bed.

It was my emergency loot.

From a financial perspective, this was more of a catastrophe. I was lucky if I had a hundred bucks to my name. It cost more than that for a Tylenol at the hospital. I certainly didn't own a credit card. That would go against everything I believed in.

I walked over to the massage table and plopped down, feeling defeated.

What a jerk.

I tried all of my relaxation methods, deep breathing, self massage, mumbling about the holy family, but none of it worked.

Like he really needed me to pay his hospital bills. That Fat Cat had more money than Mike had mirrors. Even if he did require medical attention, his father was a doctor, for crying out loud.

Then I remembered the letter and groaned at the thought of having that conversation with him. I got the strong feeling he would be less than pleased to get a message from his father….especially one delivered by me.

I contemplated not giving it to him at all to save myself the trouble.

Then I remembered the uncomfortably numb disposition Dr. Cullen was stuck in and I knew I had to deliver it. I'd probably lose my job, but it wasn't like I was in Edroar's good graces anyway.

Why was I always butting heads with that insufferable bastard?

More importantly, what the hell was he bringing out in me? I was seriously starting to doubt my own sanity. At first it was fun getting him all riled up, but now it seemed he somehow managed to have the same effect on me.

I didn't like that. He brought out a side of me I didn't even know existed.

It was unnerving.

After a good long sulk, I dragged myself down the hall in search of answers. I needed to find out what the hell was in that bottle.

I made my way to the reception desk. Pep was sitting there all slathered in pink. No surprise there. She was humming to herself as she filed her nails with an over sized, pink, leopard print nail file.

"HELLS BELLS!" She yelled out the minute she saw me and then assaulted my ears with her mind numbing laughter.

I shot her a curious look.

"You love it, right?" She cackled excitedly. "I always match my friends with a song in my head, then whenever I see them I hear it. That one's yours. It's a rock song...you know, cause you're a rocker." She chomped down on her gum and smiled widely, "And because you give people hell and your name is Bell-a. Get it?" she giggle-snorted at her cleverness.

I nodded my head in understanding. "Uh… yeah thanks, great song." I said, awkwardly.

She was beaming.

"So, I need your help. I made a terrible mistake during Mr. Cullen's morning massage."

A worried look crossed her face. "Oh, no! Is he dead?" She gasped and covered her mouth.

The fact that she instantly assumed I killed him was more than a little disturbing to me.

"No, of course not. He's just a little… uncomfortable." I squirmed a bit as I thought of his red swollen eyes.

She exhaled a deep breath. "Aw, that's not so bad. Death would be much worse."

I nodded my head in agreement. Our conversation was ridiculous, yet it made complete sense to me. Death was much worse than a little discomfort. Very few would argue with that.

I explained what happened during the massage and of course her jaw dropped when I told her the spray bottle wasn't filled with water as I'd thought.

"I was really hoping you could tell me what was in that bottle. It was clear and odorless, but had a rancid taste to it."

My mouth was still feeling the after effects of that god forsaken liquid. I rolled my tongue around in my mouth, noticing my taste buds had formed a revolt.

Jessica scrunched up her face in deep thought, holding it that way for a few moments. Her bright pink lips pouted at me. "Nope, nothing's in there. Sorry Bella."

I sighed. "That's alright. Maybe Emmett will know."

"Maybe Emmett will know what?" I heard his voice come from behind me.

I turned to see him and Rose making their way over to me. I explained my situation to them.

Their eyes widened as I confessed to accidentally spraying an unknown substance all over our bosses body. They quickly told me they had no idea what was in the bottle either.

"Could it be a cleaning solution?" I asked, though I'd never known one that was odorless.

Emmett shook his head. "Doubtful. Mr. Cullen has a cleaning service that uses their own products. It would've had a label on it. Are you sure it was odorless?"

"Positive. It had no scent at all." I had an excellent sense of smell.

"GOT IT!" Jessica shouted jumping up from her seat. Her nail file flew out of her hand hitting Emmett square in the chest.

We all looked at her in anticipation.

She smirked smugly. "It's so obvious, you guys." She rolled her eyes at our stupidity.

"Tell us." I begged.

She paused for effect. "Spoilt water." She announced. "I mean who knows how long that bottle was just sitting there."

"Water doesn't spoil Jess." Rose said sweetly, as though she were speaking to a child.

"Or so everyone thinks. They used to say the earth was flat too you know." She snorted through her nose a few times. "You have to think out of the box guys."She twirled her hair around her finger. "That's exactly why I never fill my brain with what everyone else tells me. I'm a free thinker." She tapped the side of her head a few times.

Well, that certainly explained a lot.

Jessica stood gloating at us. I tried explaining to her that it was highly improbable that old water could have made his eyes red and swollen but that just opened a whole new can of worms.

All three gasped at the fact that I managed to nearly maim the angry lion while he lay sleeping.

"Wait…you sprayed him in the face? I can't believe you still have a job." Emmett said with a stunned look on his face.

"Thanks for the encouragement." I glared at him.

"I'm serious, Bella. He's fired people for much less than that...much much less." He persisted, while Jessica nodded her head silently in agreement.

"Remember when he fired that girl Tami for smiling at him?" Jessica's face filled with fear.

"Yep, sure do. She wasn't smiling once he was finished with her." Emmett noted solemnly.

"Well, I certainly don't have to worry about getting fired for that." I said confidently. Smiling was the last thing I wanted to do when I was around him.

"Exactly." Emmett bellowed. "That's another thing. Between the way you spoke to him yesterday and what happened today." He shook his head back and forth while clicking his tongue in disbelief. "It's a miracle you still have a job here."

He was right. Why the hell hadn't he fired me? I racked my brain for an answer and came up empty.

"Don't listen to him, Bella." Rose shot Emmett a nasty look. "Today was an accident that could have happened to anyone and yesterday, you stood up for yourself. Don't ever be ashamed of that."

My face broke out in a wide grin. "Thanks, Rose." If I was a huggy type of person I would've been all over her for having my back like that.

"Hey, hey, hey. Let's not make me the bad guy here." Emmett scoffed at me and Rose. "I was just pointing out a simple fact. I never said Bella did anything wrong. I just said if it were someone else they would've been fired already. Hell, I don't know. Maybe Mr. Cullen has a soft spot for our little girl here." He patted me on the back, nearly knocking me over.

The big lug didn't know his own strength. I pulled away, scowling at him and he laughed.

"Trust me, he doesn't have a soft spot for me." I rolled my eyes at the thought. "If anything, he hasn't fired me yet because he enjoys tormenting me too much." That certainly was the truth.

"Maybe he hasn't fired you because you're a really good massage therapist." Jessica chimed in. Rose nodded her head in agreement.

"Well, whatever his reason is, I'm glad you're staying." Emmett said with a wink. "Besides, we've already got your Halloween costume picked out. You're gonna love it." Emmett snickered, boyishly.

"OH MY GOD!" Jessica clapped her hands vigorously. "Let's tell her about the ball." Let's tell her about the baaaall!" She pleaded.

"The ball?" My face scrunched up in uncertainty.

"Yes, ma'am, the ball. Every year Cullen Publishing has a costume ball. It's a major event. I can't believe you've never heard of it." Emmett said through a wide smile.

Now that he mentioned it, I did recall Ange going to a Halloween ball for work, but she never made a big fuss over it.

Not like these lunatics.

All three of them were grinning at me like Mad Hatters, their faces brimming with excitement.

"It's not just a party, it's a charity function too." Rose explained with a bright gleam in her eye. "Alice picks a different children's charity each year and the money raised at the ball is donated to it."

"Wait! Let me tell her the best part, PLEASE!" Jessica screeched causing all of us to flinch.

"There's more?" I asked, apprehensively.

"Yup!" Her hands started flailing around wildly. The clanging of her bracelets got progressively louder. She closed her eyes and licked her lips profusely. Her eyes flew open with force. "YOU'RE GONNA DIE!" She screamed at me and began jumping up and down like a strung out contestant on the Price is Right.

Just watching her was making me dizzy. I looked over at Emmett, he looked confused. I glanced at Rose she looked concerned.

Jessica started screeching something at me, but between the ear piercing pitch and the string of rapid words shooting from her mouth with no space between them, it was completely indecipherable. I actually had to cover my ears to protect them from permanent damage.

She was right. I was gonna die… if she didn't shut the hell up.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Mike fluttered by me and approached a still frantically screeching Jessica.

He took the towel that was in his hand and wrapped it around her open mouth. He tied it tightly behind her head, effectively cutting her off mid screech.

Her eyes widened in shock and she stopped jumping immediately.

He glared at Emmett, Rose and then me, holding his eyes firmly on mine. "Some of us are trying to meditate."

He threw a repulsed look my way for some reason, and then focused his eyes solely on Jessica's stunned face. He pointed to her chair, silently commanding her to sit in it, which she did quite obediently. He untied the towel from behind her head and petted her like she was a dog.

It was in that moment I realized when compared to these people my sanity wasn't so questionable anymore. Perhaps that was why I liked them so much. They made me feel sane….well saner than they were anyway.

"Alright, what set Hoochie off this time?" Mike asked, impatiently.

I opened my mouth to speak but that crazy barefooted diva snapped the towel in my face. "Not you, Apples."

I blew him an obnoxious kiss, which he caught and smacked his spandex covered ass with several times. Apparently, he was still holding a grudge about the hostile takeover I commanded against him the night before.

Whatever…I was a way better captain and he knew it. Rose jumped in and smoothly explained to him what was going on.

"Please… let me tell her." Jessica begged Mike, her voice filled with desperation.

"OH FOR CHRIST'S SAKE SOMEONE JUST FREAKING TELL ME ALREADY!" I shouted in frustration.

The four of them looked at me like I was a lunatic. The irony of that didn't escape me.

Mike gasped fanning himself dramatically with the towel. "You don't have to yell at us. Jumping Jessicas! No wonder you're a spinster."

I released a long anguished breath. My job was slowly driving me insane.

I turned to walk away when Jessica called out frantically, "We perform at the ball!"

I glanced at her over my shoulder.

"There's a contest. It's the most fun… EVER!" She was panting heavily from the excitement.

I turned to face her. "Who competes in the contest?" I was speaking to Jessica but she had collapsed flat on her desk.

"There's a signup sheet. It's coming out this Friday." Rose said calmly, ever the voice of reason. "All employees are encouraged to participate in some way."

"We practice at lunch!" Jessica's head popped up, releasing yet another screech, causing us all to cringe.

"It's a talent show, there's all different acts. Some are very good." Emmett's tone was somber. I looked around and noticed they all looked glum.

"We work so hard every year but…we never win." Jessica pouted. Mike, Emmett and Rose rushed to her side to offer their sympathy.

They couldn't possibly be serious…could they?

"Guys it's just a silly little competition. Why are you so worried? Who cares if you lose?" I chuckled light heartedly.

They all gasped at me. Oh for heaven's sake, were these people dramatic.

"Bella, there's a prize. Last year the winning act walked away with over a hundred thousand dollars." Rose had a very serious look on her face.

Emmett whistled when she announced the prize amount. My mouth hung wide open.

"Holy shit!" I practically screeched myself. No wonder Pep was so freaking excited. "Why in the world does Mr. Cullen give away so much money for a silly contest?" It was insane.

"Technically, it's not from him. They raise millions that night. Alice somehow manages to get every gazillionaire she can find to donate." Emmett boasted.

Damn, that tiny tsunami's pushy ways certainly did have its benefits.

"Last year, Cullen Publishing raised just over ten million dollars for  _Justice for Children_. The winning act got one percent of that." Rose added, her voice sparkling with enthusiasm.

"How do they decide who wins?" I asked, now highly interested.

"Pfft, they get a group of talentless, attention seeking heifers to judge it." Mike huffed bitterly.

Jessica giggle snorted. "Last year, it was Clay Aiken, Joan Rivers, and Alice Cooper. " She let out a loud snort. "Joan said to Mike 'You remind me of the ocean…you make me sick'."

We all laughed at Mike while he shot death glares our way. Before I knew it I was part of their group, god help me, which was meeting at lunch to plot its long awaited victory.

Emmett's phone rang; it was Alice looking to find out what the hell happened to Mr. Cullen during his morning massage. He immediately handed me the phone.

_Traitor._

I briefly explained what happened and asked how he was doing, hoping she'd say he was miraculously healed.

He wasn't.

From what she told me he returned from his massage looking like his eyes were doused with acid. She said he didn't even glance her way as he stormed into his office slamming the door so loudly she could hear it all the way down the hall.

That couldn't be good.

Reluctantly…very reluctantly I made an appointment to speak with him. I really wanted to put the letter delivery off for another day... or year. But really would he everhate me any less?

Doubtful.

I was always a 'grab the bull by the horns' kind of girl or in this case the lion by the mane. Who knew, maybe he'd be happy to hear from his father. Maybe I'd make his day and score a few points with the tyrant for once.

_It could happen_ , I tried to convince myself, but even I knew the chances were slim.

After nearly an hour of detective work I still didn't have a clue as to what the hell was in that bottle. Emmett even paged the housekeeping manager to help us figure it out.

What the hell could it be?

I had no idea and frankly I was exhausted from stressing about it all morning. I wasn't normally a worrier so I was completely out of my element.

The one thing I knew for sure was that I seriously had to win that contest if Edroar's eyes didn't heal soon.

I wanted to release some tension, so I joined in on Rose's high impact aerobics' class. Thank god, I brought workout clothes with me. I was a puddle of sweat by the time it was over.

Sweet, mild mannered Rose quickly morphed into a relentless drill sergeant, and apparently fat was the enemy. It felt like my body was in a war by the time her class was over.

I was fortunate enough that I never had to count calories. I'd always been on the thin side. I didn't have rock hard abs or buns of steel like Rose did and honestly, I couldn't care less.

I was never wrapped up in body image. According to Ange, that was because I was blessed with a 'naturally hot' body.

I could never understand why she spent so much time on all the crazy fad diets she tried over the years. The girl was constantly starving herself while I stuffed my face with wild abandon.

During my freshman year of high school I had a growth spurt. Skinny, little tomboy Bella Swan developed hips and boobs practically overnight.

Jazz found my awkward transition into womanhood hysterical. How embarrassed was I that he knew his way around a bra better than I did.

It was all very funny to him until the guys we hung around with wanted in my pants. That was the birth of Dadsper and he'd been that way ever since.

Apparently, I also developed loser radar. Every guy I ever dated was a major loser. Not financially speaking of course, money didn't make a man's worth in my book.

I'm talking petty larcenists, burnouts and manhwhores. Each guy I dated was worse than the last.

Eventually, I wised up, but not without some battle scars. It seemed my 'I'm not putting up with shit from you' attitude wasn't very attractive to most men. I discovered that most men like their women giggling and naïve, which just wasn't me.

To some, this left me, as Mike so kindly put it, a spinster…. at the age of twenty-four. How ridiculous. Even more ridiculous was the fact that I got blitzed out of my mind on my last birthday and found myself googling that exact term at four o'clock in the morning.

Not one of my finer moments.

I learned a spinster is a woman still unmarried beyond the usual age of marrying. What the hell the usual age of marrying was, I had no idea.

My twenty-fifth birthday was now staring me in the face and for the first time in my adult life I didn't feel like I was letting society down by not having a ring on my damn finger and a baby in my belly.

I didn't need a man to complete me. I'd been telling myself that for years. However, this was the first year I actually believed it.

It felt good….real good.

Not that I never got lonely. I did. But I was through with allowing loneliness to drive me back down the road to Loserville. I'd rather be alone.

It was just that simple.

I dragged my aching butt to the locker room and took a long hot shower, completely losing track of time as I attempted to wash my worries away.

I didn't even have time to dry my hair before rushing off to my appointment with Mr. Cullen.

I nearly plowed down several people in my haste to get to his office on time before realizing where it was I was actually rushing off to...the lion's den.

I slowed my pace down immediately. What was the worst thing that could happen? I'd miss my appointment and have to put off the conversation for another day...not so awful.

No such luck for me though. The minute I arrived at Alice's desk she whisked me off to his office, chattering in my ear not to worry along the way.

Though, she herself looked terrified for me and she didn't even know the real reason I was there to speak to him.

I felt a fluttery, nauseas feeling deep in the pit of my stomach as we got closer to his door. Butterflies? I couldn't be serious. Even when I was waiting to go on stage I never felt that way.

What the hell was going on with me?

I had no time to answer that question. Before I knew it, Alice had wrapped her arms around me tightly. "You'll be fine."

I wasn't sure which one of us she was trying to convince. She had a very worried look on her face as she knocked on the door.

"Enter." The smooth voice commanded.

"Good luck Bella." Alice whispered before walking away, leaving me to face my fate alone.

I sighed deeply before turning the handle and opening the door.

He's just one man.

I chanted that to myself several times as I made my way over to his desk.

I must have looked like a scared little girl as I stood before him. My hair soaking wet from the shower, no makeup on my face and I was sure my skin was still flushed from my workout.

I didn't think I had it in me for round two with the beast.

_This was a really bad idea_.

I was so busy scolding myself that it took me several minutes to notice the Fat Cat was sitting there, elbows on his desk, hands intertwined together, looking up at me …or so I assumed.

I couldn't really be sure with the dark sunglasses he had on his face.

I bet he was glaring at me like a demon, but who could tell what was going on behind his sleek, Ray Ban fortress. The only thing I saw when I looked at him was my own image reflected back at me.

I didn't look happy.

His eyes were completely hidden, which annoyed the shit out of me. They always told me what I needed to know. He cut off my access to them. I was defenseless. He took away my strongest weapon against him.

I wanted to rip them of his face.

"You requested to speak with me." He said calmly, far too calmly for my liking.

I felt myself getting flustered, which wasn't supposed to happen. The temperature in the room increased substantially. It was sweltering in there. The air felt heavy as I breathed it in, my throat went dry and I didn't seem to be thinking straight.

He was messing with my mind somehow. He frazzled me. How the hell did he do that?

I needed to get out of there. I opened my purse and took out the envelope. I went to hand it to him but he held up his hand in refute.

"You're quitting." He sounded stunned.

I placed the envelope down on his desk firmly. "No, but after I tell you what's in this envelope you'll most likely want to fire me."

"What if I told you I want to fire you without knowing what's in that envelope?" The voice of the demon had returned. It was familiar at least.

"Well... I guess I wouldn't really blame you. I just-"

"Ms. Swan."

"Yes."

"Tell me what is in the envelope."

I fidgeted a bit with my hair, pulling it behind my ears. The man was turning me into a mess.

I couldn't have that.

I felt the sharp sting from the smack across the face my inner rock star wanted to give me. My backbone straightened, literally and figuratively.

"It's from your father." I stopped breathing.

He didn't respond.

"Did you hear what I just said?" I was desperately trying to gauge his face for some type of reaction, but damn it, he was a blank slate.

I was about two seconds away from lunging across the desk and pulling his sunglasses off his face when he picked up the letter.

"I don't have a father." He held the envelope up to me.

"Are you sure about that? Because there's a Dr. Carlisle Cullen at Northwest Hospital that says differently. He reminded me a lot of you." The minute the words left my mouth I wanted to shoot myself in the face.

"GET OUT OF MY OFFICE!" he barked, just as expected.

"Mr. Cullen, it's obvious the two of you are at odds with each other and I know it's none of my business, but you should at least read the letter. He's so…numb." I decided to just be honest and let the chips fall where they may.

His jaw tightened in anger. "How do you know him?"

_Shit!_

I cleared my throat lightly. "Well I don't actually  _know_  him. He was the doctor that took care of my friend in the emergency room last night." More truth. Truth was good.

"I see. Did he introduce himself as Dr. Carlisle Cullen, father to Edward Cullen?" Sarcasm coated his words.

"No, not exactly like that." I rolled my eyes. "I may have asked him if he was related to you when I heard his last name."

"How inquisitive of you Ms. Swan. Such a dangerous trait to have." I could feel his glare on me.

"Am I in danger now?" I attempted to match his glare, but with those damn glasses I felt like I was glaring at myself.

He didn't answer. He sat perfectly still, letting his silence speak for itself.

Then, he picked up his pen and started writing on a blank sheet of paper. When he finished writing, he folded it and placed it in an envelope which he sealed and held up to me.

_Oh for Christ's sake._

"Since you're so fond of delivering messages, you can deliver one for me." He said through a bitter sneer.

"I'm not fond of delivering messages." I said defensively. "It just seemed important to him. Look, I'm in no position to tell you what to do-"

"Oh, so you've finally realized that." He cut in before I could finish what I was saying.

I smirked at him. "Very funny, that's not what I meant. I meant…" Wait, was I really going to tell him about my wretched relationship with my parents?

Was I crazy? That was debatable, and I was leaning towards yes.

"I expect you to finish what you started." He stood, lowering his sunglasses at me.

His eyes were blood red and raw looking. The swelling seemed to have gone down a bit. I was so preoccupied with the health of his eyes that I hadn't noticed the stern look I was getting from them.

His arm was outstretched with the envelope in hand. Like the fool I was I took it from him.

"You could mail this you know." I sniped while placing the damn thing in my purse.

"I could." He agreed his voice pure silk. "You could have minded your own business and we wouldn't be having this conversation at all." He sat down pushing the sunglasses back up his nose, concealing his wounded eyes from me once more.

He was impossible.

"Am I dismissed?" I asked facetiously.

"No." He replied humorlessly. "I forbid you to relay any information about me to that man and I expect no further correspondence from him. Am I clear?"

"You  _forbid_  me?" My eyes were bulging out of my head.

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?"

I chuckled sarcastically. "No, of course not. Why would I have a problem with you speaking to me as though I were nothing more than a lowly servant?" I folded my arms together, biting down hard on my lip in anger.

"Good." He smirked obnoxiously. "NOW… You're dismissed."

I heard myself gasp at his arrogance. I don't know what came over me, but instead of going into my stance and shouting at him I walked over to the chair and sat down, calmly crossing my legs.

"No." I said simply.

He leaned back in his chair; I could feel his eyes accessing my every move. "No?"

I shook my head slowly. "I'd rather not leave at this moment. As a matter of fact, I forbid you to dismiss me so rudely." My voice was smooth as butter.

He let out a dry laugh. "You forbid me?" He repeated sounding somewhat amused by my words.

"That's what I said." I smirked at him wickedly, and just like that carefree, uninhibited and fun loving Bella was back.

I was very grateful for that because worrisome and bitter Bella was not really my style and she was terribly exhausting.

"I hardly think you're in a position to forbid me to do anything." He said snidely.

"Really, so then what are you saying, Mr. Cullen, that I'm at your mercy with no rights of my own? Do you feel as though you  _own_  me?" Honestly, I was curious to know how his mind worked.

He ran his fingers through his hair and then shook his head at me in disbelief. "A smart mouth like yours can get you into a lot of trouble."

I huffed loudly. "You don't say and what would an arrogant and demeaning mouth get me?"

I actually felt his eyes gripping onto mine. "If this behavior continues you'll find out."

I let out a long sigh. "This may sound hard to believe but I'm not trying to be disrespectful. It's just…you rattle me. The way you talk to me. The way you look at me. How can I not react to it?"

I watched his face for a reaction and got nothing.

"I enjoy working here and I'm very sorry about what happened this morning." I paused, searching for the words. "I just can't allow myself to be belittled. If that's what's required of me to work for you then I guess this isn't the job for me." Relief washed over me the second the words left my mouth.

It was true all of it. I couldn't pretend to be someone I wasn't. He was my boss, I was well aware of that fact, but I wanted him to be aware that it didn't give him the right to bully me, not without my calling him on it anyway.

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration and removed his sunglasses, placing them on his desk. He looked down at his hands in contemplation.

After a few moments his eyes shot up to mine, catching me off guard. "I don't belittle you. I assert my authority. There is a difference." He rubbed his eyes, clenching them shut in discomfort.

In that moment I forgot what the hell we were even talking about. I didn't like seeing him in pain, especially when I knew I caused it.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, duh.

"Yes," he grumbled like a child.

"I'm sorry." I didn't know what else to say.

"You should be," he sniped.

"Is there anything I can do?" I felt myself moving forward in my chair.

"No."

"Would you feel better if I sprayed myself in the face too?" I asked, sweetly.

"Yes." He threw me a crooked grin. Even with his battered eyes he was devastatingly handsome.

"I was kidding, but it's good to know how cruel you really are." I scoffed playfully.

His face became serious, darkness seeped into his weary eyes. "You'd be wise to remember that, Ms. Swan. I am not a nice person."

"Trust me, I've noticed." I smirked at him. "But no one is allbad."

He didn't respond, he held my gaze intently. A loud buzz rang out in the room.

"Mr. Cullen, Your eleven-thirty is waiting." Alice's voice informed.

"I'll go." I stood and was surprised to find he stood along with me.

I made my way across the room feeling his eyes on my back the entire way. I opened the door realizing I was most likely the first person to ever leave his office in a better mood than I had entered it.

* * *

**A/N** : Hells Bells! Two letters and still no clue what's in either of them? That's just not right! Will Bella deliver Edroar's letter? Should she? What good could possibly come of that?

**Fun Fact:** Cockles are small, edible, saltwater clams. A meal of cockles served with laver bread, is known as a traditional Welsh breakfast. Yuck! I know, but Edroar that crazy tyrant loves them.

**Special hugs**  to Tamskee80 for brainstorming Edroar's butt with me on twitter. I didn't want him to have a tattoo and she suggested a birthmark….a light bulb went off and a diamond studded ass was born. Thanks for the inspiration bb. YOU ROCK!

**Justice for Children**  is real guys. Unfortunately, the ten million dollar donation from Cullen Publishing last year is not. Justice for Children is a national nonprofit organization of citizens concerned about children's rights and their protection from abuse.

**What charity**  would you pick for this year's ball if you were Alice?

**That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think…it's better than Edroar stepping away from that sink and showing us his goods.


	7. Amazing?

**A/N:** Hi all...here I am with some more Edroar for you. I finally wrote an outline and story calendar…it really makes it so much easier. I can't wait to share it all with you. I'm a woman on a mission. Look out! The lion has been dying to be set free so I think it's best if I meet you at the bottom.

**Happymess:**  I need you like Edward needs Bella...like Bert needs Ernie...like my hubby needs bacon...HAPPY 1st ANNIVERSARY...my beautiful beta...my virtual daughter...my better half.

I'm pleased to announce I have the fandom's hottest up and cuming pre-readers djsmommie & caro2lalala .Thanks so much for caring about this crazy little tale.

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that got a Kindle for Christmas. Santa ROCKS!

 

* * *

_**I'm not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I've always been a freak. So I've been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I'm one of those people.**_

**\- John Lennon**

* * *

The minute I stepped into work I was assaulted by four sets of waiting eyes. Good Lord, what were they up to now?

"Miss me?" I batted my lashes at them, holding back a laugh.

Emmett looked at his watch and shook his head disapprovingly.

"What? I'm fifteen minutes early," I glanced down at my watch.

Then I noticed Jessica was there. Now thatwas strange. She was always at least twenty minutes late for work.

"Did you not even notice how full the parking lot is?" Mike's hands flew down to his aqua coated hips.

Before I could even respond the four of them stormed off towards the elevator. They really should be medicated, I noted to myself.

Emmett glanced back at me from over his shoulder. "Earth to Bella," his deep voice bellowed.

Mike stomped his foot down in frustration. "I told you guys this was a bad idea. Mark my words she's the Yoko Ono to our Beatles," he was pointing at me.

They were still bickering with one another as I slowly made my way over to them.

"First of all, comparing yourselves to the Beatles is just sacrilegious." I scowled at the gall of it. Had he no shame? "Second of all," I folded my arms firmly together. "I'd be John Lennon." My eyes landed on Mike. "You'd be my crazy ass stalker since you're clearly delusional and your diva-tude just might kill me one of these days."

He narrowed his eyes at me as I chuckled fiendishly. I entered the elevator, still clueless as to where we were rushing off to.

"Alright you two. Play nice," Rose warned as the doors shut.

Jessica nodded her head in agreement.

Rose placed one hand on my shoulder and the other on Mike's. "Apologize to Bella for calling her Yoko Ono."

He threw me an icy glare. "I'm sorry you're Yoko Ono."

I rolled my eyes. Rose squeezed his shoulder tightly until he started to buckle beneath her fingertips.

"Michelle Hot Pants Newton. Apologize properly to Bella or so help me we'll vote your pretty little ass right out of this group." She was using the drill sergeant voice I recognized from her aerobics class.

He grumbled under his breath a few moments. "Sorry." The word fell from his lips like vomit.

Rose loosened her grip on him and turned her eyes to mine. "Bella, your turn."

I took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly, noticing all eyes were on me. "Fine, if he's sorry then so am I," I announced right before the elevator doors slid open.

"There, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" Rose's sweet voice returned and I almost laughed at the abrupt change.

Jessica bounced around as we walked down the hall together, making little popping noises with her pink bubblegum. "We're gonna be the best team ever," she sang out.

Rose smiled. "It certainly wouldn't hurt if we all started thinking like Jessica."

I literally had to bite my tongue to stop myself from blurting out one of the snarky comments that ran through my mind.

Jessica froze in place and waited for our attention. "No Rose. I don't think…I  _know_."

"You  _know_?" I had to ask. I could never resist.

Her eyes darted around the perimeter before settling on us once again. "Yes. Last night I went to see my psychic and she  _knew_  about the contest. It was so eerie" her eyes widened dramatically.

"You have a psychic?" Emmett asked, skeptically.

"Of course I do." She giggle-snorted, as though his question were totally ridiculous. "Not just any psychic either...Madame Jennie."

"Wow,  _the_  Madame Jennie," he smirked.

"YES!" She shrieked, completely missing Emmett's sarcasm. "Madame Jennie sensed I was worried about something important. I knew right away it was the contest," Jessica's face grew serious. "Guys, she turned over a card…it was the Wheel of Fortune."

Mike gasped, as though this held some sort of meaning for him.

Jessica smiled brightly as she tossed her curly, black hair behind her shoulders. "Madame Jennie said for me not to worry, all would be well."

Emmett coughed back a laugh. "Uh...Jess I hope you don't believe that-"

"We might lose the contest this year, because we're going to win it," Rose cut Emmett off sharply, shooting eye darts directly at him.

He got the same wounded puppy dog look I'd seen on his face when he'd been scolded by Edroar. He really was a big baby.

We quickly made our way over to a large table in the center of the cafeteria.

"What's all this?" I asked. It looked like much more than breakfast was going on.

"It's sign-up day silly. You didn't forget did you?" Jessica pouted at me.

Holy shit! I  _did_ forget.

Was it really Friday already? My week had flown by. After meeting with the Lion on Tuesday I spent most of my time trying to figure out if and when I should deliver Edroar's message to his Robo-Dad.

Why did I always have to stick my nose in where it didn't belong? I was so preoccupied with that damn letter all week.

I somehow managed to keep my inner snoop monster from steaming it open, but couldn't stop myself from holding it up to every bright light I could find.

I suppose it served me right that I couldn't see a single word of it.

How horrible a teammate was I that I completely forgot it was sign-up day? Of course the talent show hadn't completely slipped my mind.

How could it? Every lunch break that week had been filled with  _team_  meetings, which consisted of constant bickering about what we were going to perform at the ball.

I just couldn't believe it was Friday. Apparently, the rest of the company could because the cafeteria was filled with people.

"Oh, great. Look who's at the front of the line," Emmett noted with a sour look on his face.

The gang sighed in unison.

"Who?" I asked, while trying to sneak a peek.

"The mail room crew," Mike's voice dripped with disgust.

"Also known as  _Deliverance,"_ Rose added. "They won the contest last year. Their magic act is quite a sight to see."

Mike balked, while Jessica and Emmett sulked.

"Magical mailmen," I laughed out loud.

"Mail people," Jessica corrected.

"It's a trio, Riley, Ben and Bree. I hear if they win again this year they're moving to Vegas," Rose said, as I continued to strain my neck for a glimpse of them.

I was suddenly distracted by the sound of my cell phone ringing.

As I searched around in my bag for it, Jessica yelled out. "You changed your ringtone!" She looked devastated.

"Hello." I said, while giving Jessica an apologetic look. Why on earth I was sorry for not having Sir Mix- A- Lot as my ringtone was beyond me.

"Happy Friday!" Alice's perky voice chirped in my ear.

"Hey, Alice."

There was a pause. "Do you have a minute?" She sounded a bit apprehensive.

"Sure. What's up?"

"Well...normally I'd be able to give you much more notice than this of course. But uh..."

"Yes..." I hedged, as she continued to stammer.

"I just found out about it this morning," another pause. "Mr. Cullen will be going to New York on important business next week."

"Oh, okay," I replied.

There was a pause again.

"You see, he always travels with his massage therapist," she reluctantly continued. "It's crucial that he be relaxed while negotiating business deals and I'm sure you've noticed that isn't his natural disposition."

I chuckled. "Really? No, I hadn't noticed."

She giggled. "So, what I'm trying to tell you is that you'll be required to travel to New York...with him. You'll leave next Sunday and return on Wednesday. I'm so sorry for the short notice Bella. I swear it very rarely happens this way." She sounded so worried.

"Alice. It's fine, really. It's part of my job. I understand. A weeks' notice is more than enough time for me."

She exhaled a deep breath. "Oh, thank heavens. I promise I'll give you more details at lunch. It's almost time for his morning massage so I won't keep you any longer."

His morning massage…oh yes, that's right I had an actual job to do. I quickly ended my call with Alice and told the gang I needed to get down to the massage room before Mr. Cullen arrived.

Believe it or not, the Fat Cat and I had been working well together since our little chat…and when I say  _well_ I mean no one had been injured, which was a major improvement in my book.

Surprisingly, his massage sessions were going smoothly. Perhaps that was because he spent most of our time together sleeping.

It really helped that I figured out a wake up method that worked like a charm.

Out of sheer desperation I asked him if he knew of anything that affected his sleep pattern. He was annoyed by my question and curtly claimed he rarely slept.

He was adamant that when he did sleep, it was lightly. I couldn't help but laugh in his face as the image of his comatose body filled my mind.

That sparked a heated debate as to whether or not he was a deep sleeper.

He was…like a log.

Though for some reason that stubborn tyrant wouldn't admit it. It took some digging, but eventually I found out the smell of coffee had disturbed his sleep on several occasions.

So I got a jar of coffee beans to wave under his nose at the end of each session.

He seemed to prefer it to being screamed at or sprayed in the face with a toxic mystery liquid.

_Go figure._

Edroar fell into a very deep sleep in every session I had with him. I often wondered how it was possible that it never happened with his other massage therapists, but I didn't ask him about it.

Actually, I didn't ask him much of anything. I decided to give Alice's method of dealing with him another try.

So, instead of tormenting and provoking him, I kept our conversations to a bare minimum and nodded my head so often I was beginning to feel like a damn bobblehead.

Alice's method wasn't nearly as much fun as mine, but hey, work was work. I'd just have to find another hobby. As long as he didn't try to bully me I didn't foresee a problem.

Edroar's eyes were healing quite nicely, much to my relief. I was still determined to find out what the hell was in that god forsaken bottle.

Though, the prospect of that happening was looking pretty bleak.

I got back to the massage room with minutes to spare. His morning massage came and went without occurrence. Oddly enough, that was nothing new.

He even came down for his afternoon massage every day since our meeting. We'd gotten into a routine that really seemed to be working out.

Make no mistake, the man was horribly uptight. If I ventured a glance into his darkened eyes, fragments of a broken soul looked back at me from behind green walls.

There was an inferno burning deep inside that man. Always burning….

He was filled with such turbulence, I couldn't help but to react to it, which was exactly why I refrained from looking into his eyes.

I realized they were the catalyst for the masochist in me.

Just one look and I'd take out my shovel to dig around. It was none of my business and it was blatantly obvious that Edroar wanted to be left alone.

Whatever was haunting him was not my concern and as long as I was able to keep my eyes away from his it would remain that way.

How simple.

What could be so difficult about that?

* * *

As expected, there was a mandatory team meeting during lunch at our headquarters…Panera. It was the onlyplace they could all agree on.

And how rare it was those crazies agreed on anything. Alice tagged along with us even though she wasn't actually on our team, the lucky bitch.

She wasn't allowed to enter the competition since she was heavily involved in the planning aspect of it.

I got my lunch and prepared for the inevitable bickering to begin. We still couldn't agree on an act for the show.

My only request was that we incorporate music into whatever we decided to do. I told them I could sing and play a few instruments.

Mike wanted us to perform some sort of yoga du soleil act, while Pep passionately pleaded for us to involve puppets in our performance.

She said her grandfather was a master puppet maker and claimed to be a skilled ventriloquist.

I fought off a serious laughter attack just at the thought of that.

Emmett was adamant that we needed  _killer_ special effects to  _stupefy_  the audience with.

Rose reasoned that if we tried hard enough we could find a way to include all our ideas into the act.

Easier said than done. I was expecting a full hour of our usual negotiating tactics… blood, sweat and tears.

But much to my surprise the gang actually preferred hearing about my upcoming business trip.

True to Alice's word, she gave me the details at lunch. Was it crazy that I was more than a little excited that I was going to New York City?

I mean, yes, I was basically going by myself, but still it was the opportunity of a lifetime. Manhattan was the epicenter for musicians. It was the birthplace of Punk Rock, for Christ's sake.

I wanted to go to the Blue Note.

I wanted to go to Strawberry Fields.

I wanted to ride the subway and haggle with street vendors.

Alice seemed surprised by my enthusiasm, but looked more relieved than anything. She told me I'd be staying in a private suite in Mr. Cullen's penthouse….Chetwin.

Yes…Chetwin.

The apartment had its own name. Was he serious? How absurd. How could I not laugh at that?

Alice said she hadn't been there herself but heard it overlooked Central Park and was breathtaking.

I'd never been on a plane before. I often wondered where my first flight would land. Now I knew.

New York City….

* * *

"New York City?" Jazz squinted his eyes as a thin stream of smoke left his lips.

"Yep."

He scratched at the stubble on his jaw, like he always did when he was unsure of how he felt about something. "I thought we were going there together someday?"

"They do allow people to visit more than once you know," I said, as I followed him through the parking lot, the crisp fall leaves crunching beneath my boots.

"Yeah, but the first time is always the most special," he winked at me.

I made a sour face. "Uh…that's definitely not true."

He smirked, knowing exactly what or should I say whom I was referring to.

He stopped walking and turned to look at me. "You're going to New York with Cake Face?" That was his pet name for Edroar. I swear, the man had more nicknames than he had money. I wondered if he knew about any of them.

"Yes, I already told you that. It's a business trip. So stop trying to make me feel guilty about it."

He took a long drag of his cigarette and blew the smoke straight up in the air. "As if I could ever make you do anything," he tossed me a lazy smile. "When are you leaving?"

"Next Sunday. I'll be back on Wednesday night."

He didn't respond right away. He just stood there with a blank look on his face.

"Are you joking?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "No, why would I be joking?"

He stomped his cigarette out into the ground and walked away. I rolled my eyes at the back of his head. What the hell was his problem?

I walked fast trying to catch up to him. He paused as he opened the door that lead into the employee's entrance of the casino, waiting there for me.

"Thanks," I said, as I strode past him.

I watched as he opened his locker and put on his vest and badge. I cleared my throat to get his attention. "So…want to tell me what that was about?"

"Nope."

I sighed. "Jazz, if you've got something to say just spit it out already." I had no patience for dramatics.

He slammed his locker shut. "Alright," he lowered his shoulders and squared his jaw. "I can't believe you're going to spend your twenty-fifth birthday alone in a strange city."

_My birth… oh shit!_  Was I going to be in New York on my birthday?  _Damn it._  Jazz and I always celebrated our birthdays together.

It was one of our rules.

He saw my shocked expression and his face softened a bit.

"I...I didn't even realize the date when Alice told me about the trip." I bit down on my lip trying to figure out if there was some way I could get out of going without losing my job.

He wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Just tell her you can't go." He tugged on the back of my hair and walked away.

I followed him into the employee lounge. "I don't think that's possible."

"Why not?"

"Because, I can't expect my boss to cancel his business trip just because it's my birthday."

"So let him go. There are plenty of massage therapists in New York, Bella."

"I'm sure there are, but he pays  _me_  to be his personal massage therapist. It's my job, Jazz."

"Fine...then go to New York." He popped a stick of cinnamon gum in his mouth and chomped in my face, like the obnoxious little punk he was.

"Stop being such a freaking baby." I slapped his arm. "We can celebrate the day before I leave alright?" I ruffled his hair, the wound on his forehead making me frown. "Besides, my birthday is on a Monday this year. Not a very big party night."

"How do you know I didn't have something planned for you?" He scowled, as he struggled to fix the mess I made on top of his head.

I laughed. "Who are you trying to fool, Jasper Whitlock? We both know we'd spend the night getting piss ass drunk together and end up brawling with a bunch of losers in some hole in the wall bar."

His eyes lit up as he recalled us doing exactly that…year after year.

"Darlin', I don't want you spending your birthday alone. Or worse with someone that treats you like his fucking servant. Remember how depressed you got last year?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Yeah, thanks for the reminder and for your information that was  _not_  a depression." My hands flew down to my hips. "That was me drinking way too much tequila and hanging out in a bar full of couples."

"Couples?" He scoffed. "Since when have I ever been part of a couple?"

"Oh, pfft… please," I swiped the air. "Since when do you  _not_ have someone hanging around your neck?"

He broke out into a fit of laughter. "You were hysterical that night."

I kicked his ankle. "I'm glad you find my birthday breakdown so amusing."

He fought to catch his breath. "Come on, you jumped on top of the bar and announced you were running for President...so you could outlaw couples everywhere." He doubled over in laughter.

"Don't laugh so hard mister, it just may happen." I poked his chest with my finger, "who the hell do you think does all the voting in this country anyway? That's right… single people. Couples are too damn busy sucking face all the time."

I was laughing right along with him before I could even finish my sentence. I laughed so hard my stomach hurt, my eyes burned and my throat was dry.

Thank god there were chairs behind us or we would've been lying on the floor for sure. Other than my grandmother, Jasper was the only person I knew that laughed as hard as me.

I didn't feel like such a freak when we laughed together…which, actually, was quite often.

I was sitting in a chair with my head between my knees desperately trying to catch my breath when I heard footsteps coming toward me.

"You know, I really hope one of these days you two will finally give me some of whatever the hell it is you're on."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Jake, but Bella and I are high on life." Jasper stood up and smacked him on the back.

Jake was the son-in-law of casino owners Harry and Sue Clearwater. He married their daughter Leah, but sadly lost her before their first wedding anniversary.

It was such a tragedy. She died while giving birth to his son, Alexander. Jake was destroyed by Leah's death, just utterly ripped apart.

He devoted himself to caring for his son and was an excellent father.

Alex was now five years old and had no memories of his mother, though Jake made sure to talk about her often.

He still worked as a bartender at the casino, which was how he met Leah. Jasper liked very few people, but I could tell he genuinely liked Jacob.

"Did you ask her?" Jake was looking directly at me.

"Not yet," Jazz replied, also looking directly at me.

"Ask me what?"

"Jake wrote a book," Jasper said.

"Really? That's incredible. I'd love to read it."

"Thanks, Bella. I'd like that." He fidgeted a bit with his hair. "Uh… Jasper told me you're working for Edward Cullen."

"Yes."

His eyes brightened a bit. "Then I'm sure you're aware in the publishing industry he's like the top dog."

"More like lion," I mumbled to myself.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. So… what did you want to ask me?"

"Oh, well…uh…If it's a problem I'll understand." He looked away uncomfortably. "I mean I know you just started working for him and all."

"Jake, I still have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh right… well I was just wondering if you got the chance if you could uh…if you would...uh…maybe get me an appointment with Edward Cullen so I could submit my book to him for publishing?"

The room went completely still as I thought over my answer. "Well…I can't make any promises of course, but I'll definitely mention it to him for you." I held up a finger in warning. "But beware, he's not the easiest going person." That was an understatement.

Jake smiled widely, showing practically all of his teeth. "Oh yeah, I know. I've heard the rumors." His smile grew even wider. "Thanks, Bella. You're the best."

I laughed. "That's what I keep saying, but no one believes me."

"It's true," Jasper's eyes filled with warmth as he looked at me. "No one believes you." He grinned devilishly.

I jumped up and smacked his shoulder with my purse. Unfortunately for him it was filled with change.

I saved twenty dollars in spare change and was ready to take one for the team, which was exactly what I did.

I lost my money in less than an hour, but stayed to cheer on my comrades all in the name of hope.

Gambling for me was about more than just money...it was about taking chances and the thrill of tempting fate.

Jake asked me to come see him before I left for the night and when I did he waved me over to the wait station at the side of the bar. He discreetly handed me a brown paper bag.

"Hmmm ... this looks awfully suspicious," I eyed the bag cautiously. "Is it a sex tape? I swear that girl only looks like me from the back." I smirked wickedly as I grabbed the bag from his hands.

Jake blushed about five shades of red. "It's a copy of my book. You said you wanted to read it."

"Oh right….of course."

I started to take the book out of the bag, but he stopped me.

"Bella, I'd prefer if you read it in private. I haven't told anyone around here that I wrote it yet. I figured I'd wait and see if it was even good enough to publish."

I placed the bag in my now empty purse and smiled up at him, "Sure, no problem."

"Thanks," he said, as he headed back to his customers. "For everything."

I gave a quick head nod in response and made my way to the blackjack tables to say good night to Jazz. There was a group of women sitting at his table…nothing new there.

Not only did the boy have band groupies but he had casino groupies too. It was out of control. He smiled when he saw me walking his way.

"Hey darlin', coming to keep me company?"

I chuckled. "I'd say you have plenty of company already." I eyed the ladies and shook my head. "I'm heading home. I'll talk to you later."

"Text me when you get in."

"Will do."

I did, the second I got home or there would be hell to pay. Angela was still awake when I got in. It felt like we saw even less of each other now that we worked together.

I told her about my upcoming trip. Of course, she panicked immediately, but I quickly convinced her that I was actually looking forward to getting out of Seattle.

We talked for a while just catching up. After we finished off a bottle of wine she passed out mid-sentence.

Ange was always a lightweight. We really were total opposites, yet we got along so well. In all the years I'd known her we hadn't fought once.

It was so unlike me.

I covered her with a blanket and headed off to bed. After grabbing Jake's book from my purse I slipped under the covers. I looked down at the title.

'Where did Mommy go?'

_Oh_ my…tears formed before I even read the first page. It was a children's book though there was nothing childish about it.

It explained the loss of a mother…to her child.

It was the story of a little boy who lost his mother. Every day he wondered "Where did Mommy go?"

He went on a journey to all of the places mommy's go. He went to the zoo, where he saw lots of baby animals with their mommy's…but not his.

He went on a hike, hoping Mother Nature knew where his mommy was. He listened carefully to the wind and to the birds in the trees, but they didn't offer him any clues at all.

He went to the hospital where babies were born. There were plenty of mommy's there, but none of them were his.

When he got home he told his father that he looked for his mommy all day, but couldn't find her.

His dad hugged him and explained that his mother was special, he couldn't see her with his eyes like other mommy's…. he had to use his heart to see her.

The father took the little boy to large field with lots of funny looking rocks in it.

He told his son it was a sacred place and then brought him over to a shiny grey stone that had his mommy's name on it.

The father explained that the piece of land was a special place for his mother only.

He told his son they can visit her there anytime they wanted and could even bring her presents.

The following day they decorated a small wreath together and brought it to his mommy's special place.

Through the years, the little boy and his father brought many wreaths and other beautiful gifts there.

Now, whenever the little boy wanted to visit his mother he knew exactly where to go….

My sleeves were saturated with tears by the time I closed that book. One thing was for sure, I was going to do everything in my power to get it published.

Not that I had a lot of power…or any really, but seriously how could anyone possibly turn away such a poignant and heartfelt story?

That night I dreamt of my grandmother and when I awoke the next morning I decided to finally work up the courage to visit her…at her special place.

Jake's book reminded me how short life was. I wondered what Edroar was so angry at his father about. How bad could it be?

It wasn't my business, but now that I was their personal courier pigeon I couldn't help but feel involved in the matter.

So that Saturday afternoon I found myself bringing the letter over to Dr. Feel Nothing, even though I knew I'd be doing more harm than good by delivering it to him.

It was a sure bet that whatever Edroar wrote wasn't going to mend any broken fences. More like demolish them, if he had his way.

I nearly turned back several times on the way there. Something about Dr. Cullen's numb demeanor spooked me to the core.

It wasn't that I was afraid of him, he just creeped me out a little. Okay, a lot. There was no life in his eyes, no emotion there at all.

Numb…hollow…void. I was always very receptive to emotion and he was just so…empty.

His son was at the opposite end of the spectrum. There was so much emotion rolling around inside that man…such intensity. It lurked beneath the surface for the most part, but it was always there.

I could see it…feel it…Christ, if I wasn't careful I absorbed it.

He reminded me of a bloodthirsty warrior. What on earth could make a man that angry?

I must have checked my purse a hundred times to make sure the letter was still there before I reached the reception desk.

For some crazy reason I assumed Dr. Cullen would just be there whenever I decided to show up. Turned out I was wrong; he was off for the weekend.

I seriously contemplated leaving the letter with the front desk clerk, but I just couldn't do it. Edroar trusted...well….demanded me to deliver it to his father personally.

_Damn it._

I stomped out of the hospital, mumbling about pigeons and lions under my breath.

* * *

Monday morning arrived in a flash. Why was that always the case? I read Jake's book again before placing it down on the counter in the massage room.

The content was morbid, there was no doubt about that, yet I was incredibly drawn to it.

It may have been the emotions it evoked in me. I hadn't cried like that in years, not that I was particularly fond of crying.

I wasn't.

As a matter of fact, I hated crying and generally avoided it at all costs, but what I'd forgotten was the replenishing effect it had.

Tears always had a purpose.

When I cried I let go of so much more than what had started my tears to begin with.

Feelings were magnetic…they drew in like emotions.

When I was happy I noticed all the good things in my life, as was the same for sad, angry or otherwise.

Jake's book, though heartbreakingly sad, served a purpose. It just had to be published. Surely, Edroar would agree.

No sooner had I finished that thought he was standing before me. I hadn't even heard him walk into the room.

"Ms. Swan," his cool, dry tone jolted me back to the present.

"Oh...good morning, Mr. Cullen." I cringed at my words.

For the love of god…I knew better than to use words like 'good' around the man. Words like that annoyed him.

Yes, part of me got a sick thrill by irritating him, but it certainly wasn't my intent…at that moment.

He stood before me, grumbling heinously under his breath. His tall frame blocking the sunlight that poured in through the glass wall behind him.

I noticed his hair was a bit messier than usual. It made him appear more lionly. His bronze highlights glistened in the sun. His eyes were two blackened slates of coal.

He looked exhausted.

His chaotic energy surrounded me, overloading my senses. If I wasn't careful the man would frazzle me again. I couldn't have that.

I turned away and began smoothing out the creases on the crisp, white sheet that covered the massage table, all the while feeling his eyes on me.

I was actually able to  _feel when_ his eyes were on me. It was the strangest sensation, sort of like being snapped with rubber bands; it stung and was nearly impossible to ignore.

He remained still, as I busied myself with pointless tasks before I headed for the door. I decided to wait until the end of the session to discuss Jake's book with him.

He'd be more relaxed then.

Minutes later I returned. He was stretched out on the table, lying flat on his stomach. It took me a few seconds to center myself before I began his massage.

I heard his light snoring moments after my warm palms touched down on his cool skin, he was completely zonked out.

_Light sleeper my ass._

What was his definition of a deep sleep…death?

My hands were tyrant tranquilizers. I wondered if they worked on all tyrants or just him.

It never failed to amaze me. I wasn't complaining. I felt more at ease when he was asleep. It may sound strange, but I was forming a connection to the sleeping tyrant.

I didn't quite understand why and would never admit it, but I had an urge to protect him from the angry beast that dwelled within.

I wanted to save  _Edsnore_  from  _Edroar_ …I really was crazy. Maybe I was the one that needed the medication.

It made no sense to me. What a strange instinct to have.

I pushed such thoughts from my mind and re-entered my zone. At the end of the session I grabbed the coffee beans and waved them under his nose.

Sure enough, his eyelids fluttered open. He gazed up at me sleepily. His eyes were the lightest shade of green when he first awoke, almost translucent.

It never took long for the darkness to seep into them, like pollution corroding a crystal clear ocean.

I hated watching the darkness return. I pulled my eyes away from his. No good could come of that. I decided to pounce while he was still groggy.

"Our session is over, Mr. Cullen. But before I go I'd like to talk with you for a moment."

He rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "What is it?" He wasn't one for beating around the bush. We had that in common.

I grabbed Jake's book off the counter and held it behind my back, like a present. "I have a friend that wrote a book...it's amazing," I gushed.

He didn't respond, he just looked at me blankly.

"So... I told him I'd mention it to you," I added, awkwardly.

Still no reaction from him.

"You know... since you publish books." I explained, as though he didn't know what the hell he did for a living.

"Yes, I'm aware of that," he said, sharply. "I'm unaware of what led you to believe you were qualified to assess what constitutes  _amazing_  in the literary world?"

His eyes bore into mine, gripping them with force.

I gasped at his arrogance. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that I can read and form an opinion. You know, like the people that will be buying the book." I snapped at him, venomously.

So much for Alice's method of dealing with him. I never really cared for bobbleheads…they made me dizzy.

He scowled at my response. "Using that logic anyone with hands would be qualified to assess professional massage technique."

I rolled my eyes at his illogical comparison. "No, not exactly, but you do know what an amazing massage feels like, don't you?"

"Of course." He looked appalled by my question.

"Alright, so if a friend of yours gave you an  _amazing_  massage wouldn't you be  _qualified_ to at least tell someone in the massage industry about their talent?"

He blinked a few times. "Why would I do such a thing?"

"Well…first of all to help your friend, second-"

He held up his hand. "Stop right there," he said, firmly. "I have no interest in helping your friends."

I narrowed my eyes. "I don't expect you to help my friends." My hands were on my hips. "Aren't you at least a little curious to know what the book is about?"

"No."

I eyed him, inquisitively. "Haven't you ever done something to help a friend who truly deserved it?"

He grimaced. "I don't have friends."

"Oh stop, you must have at least one good friend you can trust?"

"I trust no one." a flicker of pain crossed his features before they stiffened. "You'd be wise to do the same."

I shook my head. "I don't think so," my voice softened. "I could never cut myself off from bonding with other people." I paused, as I took out my shovel. "Don't you ever get lonely?"

"No." He frowned.

He was lying to me and probably himself as well.

"Come on, that's impossible." I dragged out the last word. "I have a lot of close friends and I still get lonely every now and then. It's human nature." I hesitated a moment. "Are you sure you're human?"

"I never said I was human," he stated, coolly. "But, if having friends is a requirement, then no…I'm not."

My brow rose dubiously. "Really, so if you're not human, then what are you?"

He ran a hand through his tousled hair. "If I recall correctly you told me what I was on your first day of work."

"Yes, I did and if I recall correctly you told me you knew what I was."

"I do."

"Well…what am I?" I was curious to hear what his twisted mind had come up with.

He contemplated his answer a few moments. "Perhaps, you should ask one of your friends," and then the wall went up. "We're finished here. You are dismissed."

I let out a frustrated gurgle. "Why must you always  _dismiss_  me?" I glared at him. "It's so rude."

He raised himself up from the table so that he was sitting at the edge, the sheet tossed loosely around him.

He actually looked insulted by my accusation. "It's called leadership. This is a business, Ms. Swan. I am your leader."

I grimaced. "My leader…don't you think that term is a bit much?"

"No, I don't," he snarled. "Now go!"

"Fine, I'll go," I spat angrily. "But just so you know…good leadership is more than bossing people around. You should respect your employees."

I resisted the urge to point my finger at him. I turned and walked away from his reddened face and scorching eyes.

He chuckled darkly. "Respect is earned. I don't give it lightly."

I froze at his words. "You don't respect me?" I was looking at him from over my shoulder.

He waved me off. "You have been dismissed."

"I asked you a question." I stomped my foot like a child.

He shot away from the table and stormed towards me. "You've been warned about your inappropriate behavior more than once," he growled, lowering his face to mine. "You assaulted me, while I lay defenseless in your care, you intruded in my personal life," his growl was steadily increasing." And now you have the audacity to scold me with your unwelcome business advice," he roared in my face, full on lion.

I wish I could say it scared me.

I  _really_ wish I could say it didn't electrify…incite…arouse...and stimulate every fiber of my being.

But it did.

I ripped our eyes apart and walked over to the counter, slamming the book down pointedly. "Well, if I'm such an awful employee then why haven't you fired me?"

Stupid question, but I was angry and really wanted to know the answer.

He was completely still for a few moments. I decided to shoot some more fire his way, so I stomped back over to him and looked directly into his eyes, ready for the storm. I was stunned by what I saw.

His eyes…looked wounded. It made no sense at all.

"Is that what you want?" he asked.

"What?" I was so confused.

"Do…you…want…me…to…fire…you?" He showed no emotion.

I thought about it a moment. Why did he care how I felt? The room began closing in on me. I couldn't breathe.

God damn it…I was frazzled.

"I….I…don't know," I stammered like an imbecile.

He moved in closer making it worse. "You don't know?"

"No," I shook my head. "I don't." I worked hard to steady my breathing. What on earth was wrong with me?

His cool stare was covering me like a blanket. I needed to get away from him. I spun around to leave the room, but my footsteps weren't getting me anywhere. I looked back and noticed his hand on my elbow.

"Not until you answer my question," he warned.

"I can't answer your question right now," I huffed.

"Why not?"

"Because…you've… frazzled me," I blurted out like a confession.

"I frazzle you?" He looked stunned.

"Yes, frequently," I admitted.

He released my arm.

We were just standing there looking at each other. The animosity seemed to have dissipated. Slowly, I started to regain control of my senses.

"Why do you want to know how I feel?" I asked in a low voice.

"I don't know," he answered, honestly.

"Oh." I didn't know what else to say.

He was deep in thought for several minutes before returning his eyes to mine. "Answer my question," he ordered, curtly. He was so damn bossy.

I raked my teeth across my bottom lip as I contemplated an answer. "Do you want the truth?"

"Of course."

I inhaled deeply and slowly exhaled. "Okay, well… I find that I…uh….enjoy…making you angry."

Jesus, Mary and Joseph; the secret was out.

He laughed. I liked the sound of it. I was sure his features had softened a little….very little.

A crooked smile formed at the tips of his lips. "Was that supposed to shock me?"

"You knew?" My mouth fell open.

"You were trying to hide it?" He looked confused.

"Of course I was trying to hide it. You're my boss." Did he think I was an idiot?

"Well don't. I can't stand liars," he gruffed.

I choked, fully insulted. "I'm not a liar. I was trying to be respectful. Do you really believe your other employees tell you exactly what they think?"

"I don't care what they think."

"And you care what I think?"

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't say you didn't. You care what I think don't you?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

"Well, someone has to." I folded my arms.

"Give it to me," he demanded, impatiently.

I stepped away from him. "I beg your pardon?"

"The book. Give it to me." He held out his hand.

"Ah ha!" I shouted. "I knew you were curious to read it."

"Hardly," he scoffed. "I'm intrigued to know what someone like you finds amazing."

"Someone like me?"

"Yes, now give it to me."

"You know saying please wouldn't kill you."

He glared at me menacingly.

I rolled my eyes before darting over to the counter, I grabbed the book and slowly strutted my way back to him swirling it around in the air tauntingly.

"You  _want_  it don't you?" I teased.

He didn't respond right away, but his eyes gave me the answer. They always did.

"Not nearly as much as you want to give it to me," he grinned, wickedly.

"I only want to give it to you because I know it's  _amazing_."

"We'll see about that."

"Yes, we will." I handed him the book and headed for the door, feeling his eyes on me every step of the way.

I stood in the frame for a moment allowing my eyes to wash over him. He was still grinning…the cocky bastard.

* * *

I'd driven halfway over to the hospital, it was the end of the day and the pigeon was delivering the lion's message to the robot.

I reached for my purse to check for the letter and realized I left my bag at work. Apparently, my brain was still a bit frazzled from my encounter with Edroar.

I wasn't a forgetful person.

But, since I started working at Cullen Publishing I was really starting to believe I didn't know myself quite as well as I previously thought.

I turned my truck around and headed back to the office. I quickly made my way into the club waving at Jessica as I passed her by. She instantly started humming  _Hell's Bells,_  making me laugh.

I climbed the steps and walked down the hall. The door to the massage room was open and the light was on…how strange.

I crept up to the doorway. It was only five o'clock…way too early for the cleaning crew to be there.

I peered into the room.

Nothing could prepare me for what I saw.

Mike was sprawled out on the massage table, flat on his back, his feet up in the air midway. He had a spray bottle in his hand…correction…he had THE spray bottle in his hand.

He was spraying his feet with it.

I watched as he sprayed the tops of them and then rolled to his side and sprayed the bottoms.

I stormed into the room and ripped the bottle from his hands. "What the hell are you doing?" I yelled.

He bolted up into a sitting position and gave me a death glare. "I'm caring for my tootsies, what's it to you?"

"Tell me what's in this bottle?" I demanded.

"What are you the foot patrol?" he snarked. "Not that it's any of  _your_  business, but it's FungiCure."

"What the hell is that?"

"Suffering Spinsters! The name is self explanatory…it cures fungi." He grabbed the bottle from my hands.

I rolled my eyes. "Okay… so why are you spraying it in here?"

He spritzed his feet a few times before answering my question. "I certainly can't use my room, this crap is toxic." He waved the bottle in my face. "It kills fungi. My studio can't have that kind of poison in the air," he crinkled his nose in disgust.

My hands balled up in anger. "I sprayed that crap in Mr. Cullen's face last week!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

He pulled his neck back. "You didn't?" His hand was on his heart.

"I did."

"You're one crazy bitch." He twirled his fingers in my face. "I'm surprised he didn't rip your ass to shreds."

My face was frozen in an angry scowl.

Before I could even say another word he hopped off the table and sashayed across the room.

"Look, Yoko, I don't have time to hear about your twisted games right now. I got places to be."

He was gone before I could blink.

* * *

**A/N** : FungiCure is an odorless, clear liquid. Who knew? Should Mike be forced to cover his tootsies at work? Should Bella plot revenge?

I'm blaming the heinous delay of this chapter on the Beatles. Mike mentioned them in the first scene and it sent me on Beatle binge of epic proportions that took me quite some time to recover from. I'm innocent I tell you. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

**Fun Fact:** Madame Jennie is inspired by my friend djsmommie. She told me she wanted to hypnotize Edroar and have him fulfill one of her favorite Edward fantasies. That sparked the psychic idea in my head. Thanks bb.

  


**That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think….it's the gift that keeps on giving.


	8. Face Off

**A/N:** Hi gang...I got a whole lot of lion for you. I thought surely with my handy dandy outline and story calendar I'd be able to whip the chapters out for you in a jiffy. Turns out I'm a turtle writer…slow as hell, such a horrible affliction. I promise to try and overcome it. Edroar is eager to get to you, so I'll meet you guys at the bottom.

**Happymess:**  Roses are red violets are blue, without my dear Boo, I don't know what I'd do. I heart you...hard.

Caro2lalala & Djsmommie: Lucky me has two kick ass pre-readers. Thanks guys.

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that's SICK of snow.*

 

* * *

_**Yes, there are two paths you can go by but in the long run there's still time to change the road you're on.**_

_**-Led Zeppelin, Stairway to Heaven**_

* * *

There was a downfall to having a big, old, red truck.

It was slow as hell.

Not that I was in a rush, but come on. I was belting out Iron Man as I plotted revenge against an evil diva. Leisurely cruising down the highway just wouldn't do.

It took longer than I liked, but I finally rolled into the hospital parking lot. I gave myself a few minutes to cool off. That shoeless sabotager would get what was coming to him…all in good time. I never considered myself cruel, but that boy was begging for it.

I didn't know what  _it_  was yet, but he sure as hell would when the time was right. A wicked chuckle escaped my lips as I grabbed my purse and opened the truck door. It creaked loudly, alerting everyone in the vicinity to my arrival.

I made my way into the emergency room and told the front desk clerk I needed to speak with Dr. Cullen. The portly woman asked for my name as she picked up the phone. Minutes later I was being ushered to his office. I was told to take a seat and that the doctor would be with me shortly.

So I waited…and snooped around a bit.

There really wasn't much to work with though. No photos or mementos to be found anywhere. I even conducted a quick scan of the papers on his desk. It was all just medical crap. What the hell?

The door suddenly swung open, causing me to yelp like a wounded animal.

"Ms. Swan." His lifeless voice greeted me.

I waved at him for some moronic reason. I'm not even sure he noticed. He was looking straight ahead as he walked mechanically over to his desk.

I sat down, pulling my bag into my lap. "I'm sorry to disturb you, Dr. Cullen."

There was no response from him, though he was eying my purse quite carefully.

I swallowed hard. "I have a letter for you."

He watched as I opened my handbag and pulled out the crisp, white envelope with the Cullen Publishing logo on it.

I hesitated before handing it to him, looking directly into his eyes. I don't know why. Perhaps I was hoping to find some sign of life in them. But they were empty…so empty.

Slowly, I handed him the envelope. He seemed almost as apprehensive to take it as I was to give it to him. It was the oddest transaction.

"It's from Edward."

His first name felt strange on my lips. Somehow none of the other names the man had seemed appropriate to use when discussing him with his father. I suppose I was stating the obvious, really.

Who else would the letter be from? It was quiet a few moments, but as I stood to leave his vacant blue eyes landed on my face.

"Ms. Swan-"

"Bella," I corrected.

"Bella," he repeated stiffly. "I should thank you." His empty stare was chilling.

My body tightened as the guilt from his gratitude sliced through me like a knife. I could only imagine what was written in that letter. Whatever it was, I didn't feel worthy of a thank you for delivering it to him. I nodded my head in response and fled to the door.

"Was he angry with you?" His dry question reached my ears just as my hand gripped the doorknob.

I sighed heavily.

I promised Edroar I wouldn't divulge any information about him to his father. No, that wasn't quite true, I didn't promise him anything, he forbade me. Technically, I never agreed to his demand. But I couldn't betray him in that way. I just couldn't.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Cullen. I'm only here to deliver the letter." I still hadn't turned to look at him.

"Don't apologize. I'm aware of how…difficult my son can be." There was no emotion in his voice.

I slowly turned to face him. "Then I would keep that in mind when you read his letter."

His brow rose. "Oh, there's no need for me to read this." He raised the envelope in the air and tore it in two, letting the paper rain down on his desk.

I gasped. "How could you do that?" My eyes widened in disbelief.

Before the last scrap of paper landed on his desk I found myself marching over to him feeling more enflamed with each step I took.

It may not have been a love letter, okay it definitely wasn't a love letter, but still. How could he not even care what his son had written to him?

"Give Edward my best," he said, dismissively.

My finger was in his face in an instant. "I will not give Edward anything from you." I took a step back, looking him over suspiciously. "What kind of game are you playing?"

He stared up at me blankly. "I don't play games." His eyes were even hollower than before. "Now, if you'll excuse me I have patients to tend to."

I shook my head in disgust. "Yes, by all means. I wouldn't want to waste your time." I headed for the door. I swung it open. The pigeon was flying the coop.

"Bella," he called out.

I glanced over my shoulder.

He was silent for so long I almost turned away. "Watch over him. He's not as cold-hearted as he appears."

And for a fraction of a second I saw something sweep across his face. It was definitely an emotion of some sort. It looked so foreign on his features. What it was I didn't know…guilt, sadness, desperation, maybe a combination of them all.

It was a fleeting moment…very fleeting, but it happened. Then the moment ended and the robot was staring blankly at me once again. I didn't know what to make of it.

I was so angry that I spoke without thinking. "He's not the Cullen that appears cold-hearted to me." I said before slamming the door behind me.

I stormed out of the building like a mad woman, getting several odd looks from those in my path.

* * *

I couldn't sleep at all that night. Why I cared so much about that damn letter was beyond me. It felt like Edroar's father slapped me across the face when he tore it in two.

Why would I react like that?

My body tossed and turned in bed restlessly, hour after hour until the alarm went off. I slammed my hand down on the power button, grumbling a slew of obscenities as I did so. I lifted my weary head from the pillow and dragged myself out of bed, stumbling across the room nearly wiping out several times….on nothing.

I was no klutz.

Even when I was drunk off my ass my motor skills weren't nearly that bad. After banging my head against the bathroom door-frame I knew I was definitely going to need a pick me up and fast.

My feet shuffled into the kitchen with my hands cautiously leading the way. There was a fresh pot of coffee on the counter and it was calling my name. Angela was a caffeine junkie. I rarely drank the stuff but if I didn't get a serious boost there was no way I'd make it through the day.

So I drank two cups before getting into the shower.

That should have given me a kick start for sure, but I was still in a deep fog as I walked out to my truck. I couldn't stop yawning and was struggling to keep my eyes open. The coffee wasn't cutting it, which was really strange since I was sensitive to caffeine. It must have been decaf.

I hadn't even thought to ask Ange, though I'd never known her to drink decaffeinated coffee, especially in the morning. I couldn't show up to work a sleepless zombie, so I stopped at the store and bought a can of Red Bull.

Desperate times…desperate measures, I thought while popping the can open. I downed the drink as I drove to work, hoping it would do the trick. I glanced in my rear view mirror, blood shot eyes, hair straggly and damp. How lovely. I cringed when I realized I forgot to put my hair up.

Hell, I forgot to dry my hair. It was freezing outside. Even the cool fall air did nothing to wake me up.

I wobbled into work feeling like I was about to keel over at any moment. I wondered when the hell I developed such a high tolerance for caffeine. I made my way through the health club passing by Jessica's empty desk.

She was late as always. The funny part was each day her excuse was crazier than the last.

A reality show of that girl's life would be a hit for sure. She was a constant source of entertainment…without even trying.

I paused as I entered the doorway to the massage room. The sight of the soft, warm bed was so appealing. I wanted to crawl into it and sleep the day away. Sadly, that wasn't an option. I highly doubted Edroar allowed nap time at work….well except for his of course.

I padded across the room, the bright sunlight causing me to recoil. Damn it, why didn't I have sunglasses in my purse?

Oh, that's right, because I lived in Seattle, of all days for the sun to make an appearance. I went straight to work, prepping the room for the tyrant's arrival. I made sure to throw away the sheet the dastardly diva soiled with his fungus spray.

Seriously…who does that?

Though my movements were much slower than usual, I was impressed that I was functioning so well with no sleep at all. Or so I thought….

"Ms. Swan," a deep voice called to me from a distance.

"Huh?" I slurred in response.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and took in my surroundings. Odd, I was slumped over on the small stool next to the supply cabinet. I blinked a few times as I attempted to figure out what was going on. There were legs directly in front of me. Steadily, my eyes made their way up the legs…up…up…up until I found the face that belonged to the legs.

"Sleeping on the job is highly unacceptable," The Lion said dryly. He didn't look happy.

I popped up so fast I nearly knocked him over in the process. "I wasn't sleeping."

"Really?" He quirked a disbelieving brow at me.

"Well…I didn't plan to fall asleep," I said, defensively.

"I see." His eyes scanned me from head to toe, a distasteful look on his face. "Did you plan that outfit you're wearing?"

"Excuse me?" I was stunned by his rude, fashion snobbery.

He didn't reply. He just turned and walked away. I narrowed my eyes at his retreating form. Just because designer labels weren't my thing didn't give him the right to mock my clothing. One of his ridiculously expensive designer suits was worth more than my entire wardrobe. What a disgusting display of wealth.

I bit my tongue though, deciding to choose my battles carefully. The man did just find me asleep on the job, after all. How the hell that happened after I loaded up on caffeine was a mystery to me. Not even glancing his way, I exited the room, and made my way down the hall to the reception desk.

"Hey Jess," I said as I rounded the corner.

"Hi Bella," her lips turned up at the corners, a wide grin spread across her face. "Of course." She giggle-snorted.

"Um…Of course...what?" I shot her a curious look.

Her bright, pink fingernail pointed at me. "Look," a pause. "I'm smiling," she announced through closed teeth, as though she deserved a medal for it.

"Oh, wow. Look at you. Yeah, that's great." I coughed back a laugh.

She was still giving me a big, cheesy grin that honestly was getting a bit creepy. The girl looked like a demented pink pumpkin.

"Alright, then. I'm going to head back to the massage room. I'll talk to you later." I waved before turning away.

"Peace out," she called after me.

I heard her loud cackling all the way down the hall. Man that was weird. Normally I understood Jessica's oddball personality but without sleep I was just lost. I paused a moment to check my watch.

Enough time had passed for me to return. Just as I was about to head up the stairs to the massage room I caught a glimpse of someone in the mirror that framed the elevator doors. I said a silent prayer it wasn't me. I moved in closer, my eyes widened in shock. Oh, I couldn't be serious?

But I was...it was me.

In my sleepless fog I threw on my Happy Hands uniform and when I say uniform...I mean psychedelic nightmare. Laurent, the owner of the spa, was a good friend of my grandmother's. He was a lifelong hippie, a great guy, but an awful business man.

My  _uniform_  was a pair of scrubs; tie dyed an obscene color combination, with a large iron-on smack in the middle of my chest. It was a cartoonish looking sunflower with a bright yellow smiley face at the center. Even better…the text that wrapped around the flower asked in big sparkly letters:

'Have you smiled today?'

It was corny as hell but it really did bring a smile to my client's faces. Laurent was a firm believer that starting a massage with a smiling client was essential to achieving Zen. The uniform somehow fit the vibe of Laurent's spa perfectly, so I never had a problem wearing it…there.

But at Cullen Publishing it was a whole different story.

At Cullen publishing I felt like the spawn of crazed hippie clowns. I had to rip myself away from the horror I saw in the mirror. Good Lord, no wonder Edroar commented on my outfit. No doubt he thought I was on drugs, finding me slumped over in the corner of the room in a hippie clown suit.

I shook my head in disgust as I trudged my way back to the massage room. It was official; I was my own worst enemy.

The tyrant was lying on the table, eyes closed, when I entered the room. I decided to explain my odd wardrobe choice to him right after his massage and hopefully avoid a mandatory mental health and drug assessment. I tried centering myself repeatedly but found it impossible. A sudden burst of energy had seized my entire being.

It felt like thousands of tiny balloons were popping inside me. Adrenaline rushes were erupting everywhere. My eyes were blinking rapidly. My heart was pounding uncontrollably. I was sweating profusely and I couldn't stop moving. I actually started jogging in place.

What. The. Hell.

How could I possibly center myself in that condition? I could hear my heavy breathing. I looked down at my hands, they were frantically shaking. Jesus, Mary and Joseph the caffeine had finally taken effect and it was coming on like a hurricane. I quickly raised my fingers up to my temples in a desperate attempt at self massage. But my movements were so jerky that I poked myself in the eye…hard.

"FUCK!" I yelled out in pain.

The Lion's eyes opened and he silently took in the situation before him.

"Is there a problem?" he asked coolly.

"I poked myself in the eye!" I exclaimed, squinting, my eye watering like a faucet. I was still jogging in place. I couldn't stop.

I heard him sigh. I was too busy rubbing my eyes to see what he was doing. Both of them were now tearing for some reason. Was I crying? No, I would never cry over such a thing. That would be absurd.

"Get your fingers away from your face," he scolded as he pulled my hands away. "Which eye is it?"

"The left one," my voice quivered like a frightened child. I wanted to choke myself to death, but I had no control over my damn hands.

Moments later a warm cloth covered my left eye. "Sit down," he commanded.

I sat down on the massage table. He was still holding the warm towel on my eye. It was starting to feel better. My legs were bouncing up and down and swinging back and forth over the side of the table as I wrung my hands together feverishly in my lap.

I was a complete mess. Edroar didn't speak a word, he just held the warm cloth on my eye as I twitched and spasmed on the massage table like a lunatic.

"I'm not a hippie clown," I blurted out of nowhere, breaking the silence.

"Of course you're not," he agreed, sounding serious. "Hippie clowns have much better fashion sense." I could see his snide smirk even with one eye open.

He was mocking me.

Instinctively, my hands flew to my hips. Well, they tried anyway. One made it...the other punched me in the gut. Hurt like a bitch. I grunted inwardly, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of laughing at my expense. As if he didn't already have enough reason to do so.

"I used to get paid to wear this uniform, I'll have you know." The stubborn little bitch in me was actually trying to defend my heinous attire.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well, it's true." I huffed. "When I worked at Happy Hands this uniform always brought a smile to my client's faces."

"You worked at a place called Happy Hands?" He couldn't look more repulsed.

"I did."

My legs bounced around while my hands created freakish looking concoctions in my lap.

"Sit still," he ordered, impatiently.

"I can't." I sounded panicked.

Was this what Angela felt like on a daily basis? Why the hell would an anxious person like her even drink coffee? I made a mental note to ask her about that.

Edroar took a step away from me, removing the warm cloth from my eye. "Tell me why you're twitching like that."

I blinked rapidly as I realized I was about to sound like a complete idiot. "I drank two cups of black coffee and a can of Red Bull before work this morning."

He waited for me to continue.

"I…uh…got no sleep last night and was concerned it would affect my work today."

My voice came out in several different pitches. My breathing was so erratic that I was panting pretty hard by the end of my sentence and my god damn eyes were still watering.

"Did you really think you'd be able to meet my expectations in this condition?" He was getting angry. I could see the fire forming in his eyes.

"I didn't think-"

"Exactly." He cut me off harshly. "If you can't refrain from partying all night during the work week you're of no use to me."

I wiped my eyes with the backs of my hands as he spoke. I wasn't crying but the stupid tears were falling regardless.

"I wasn't partying all night," I retorted, angrily." If you give me a chance to explain I'll tell you why I couldn't sleep." My eyes were trying to shoot fire at him but I ended up winking three times instead.

"It makes no difference." His face began to redden. "Do you think I have time to listen to you complain about your sleep habits, Ms. Swan?"

My back straightened. "Well if you have time to accuse me of partying all night then I expect the time to defend myself, Mr. Cullen."

Our eyes locked, a single stream of fire connecting them. It was intense, to say the least. Maybe the caffeine was amplifying everything for me, but I honestly never felt anything so powerful before.

He took a step forward, lowering his face to mine. "What other excuse could there be for your behavior? I am not a fool I assure you."

I crossed my arms defiantly. "I beg to differ. Passing ill informed judgment on someone is quite foolish in my opinion."

He growled in response.

I smiled smugly. I was starting to gain control of myself. The adrenaline was still pouring through me like a river but instead of being overtaken by it, I felt empowered.

"Don't disrespect my authority," he seethed.

"Don't give me a reason to," I spat.

He raked his fingers through his hair. He was incensed. His nostrils flared and his eyes turned black as night.

"You do not have the power to make such demands." His tone was pure ice. "Do I make myself clear?"

I moved in closer to his face, the tips of our noses practically touching. "Then tell me, oh mighty leader, what do I have the power to do?"

It was silent for several long moments as we faced off, eye to eye, nose to nose, inhaling each other's breath…each other's fire. Without warning he pulled his face away from mine. I felt the abrupt absence in all of my senses. He walked over to the glass wall behind us and stood there looking out into the distance.

The white sheet hung low on his hips. His form was pure masculinity; there was nothing delicate about the man, though he moved with an undeniable grace. I wondered what vile, hateful thoughts of me were running through his mind. I contemplated giving him an apology, but he pushed me past my limits.

Was I to blame for that?

I argued with myself for quite some time before speaking. "I went to see your father yesterday."

His body stiffened.

I waited a few moments before I continued. "He…I..he" I began to struggle with my words.

He spun around so fast it took my breath away. Before I could blink he was at my side. "What…did…he…do?" He looked murderous.

I became a bit flustered by his reaction. "He made me angry," I answered honestly.

My filter was off. For some reason I was unable to lie to him, I didn't want to.

I looked directly into his turbulent eyes. "I delivered your letter and he…"

"He what?"

"He tore it in two." The image flashed through my mind, causing a bolt of fury to shoot through me. Why on earth it infuriated me like that I had no idea. It made no sense.

He chuckled bitterly. "Still the same spineless coward." It didn't appear to bother him one bit, making me feel even more ridiculous for my extreme reaction. He looked at me curiously. "What did he do to anger you?"

"He tore your letter. It was disrespectful." I tried my best to sound casual about it.

He savored my words a moment. "His disrespect towards me angered you, how ironic."

"Ironic?" My brow furrowed. I saw no irony to the situation at all, unless he knew about my relationship with my own father, but that was impossible.

"Yes." He nodded, his eyes trained on mine. "I find it quite ironic that on several occasions, including today, you've blatantly disrespected me."

I rolled my eyes. "That's completely different."

"Is it?" He smirked wickedly, amusement flickered in his eyes, exposing a lighter shade of green.

"Yes." I matched his smirk with some wickedness of my own. "There's a big difference between self defense and disrespect." He had to know that. "Do you allow false accusations to be made against you?" I folded my arms smugly as I awaited his answer.

His smirk became a hardened scowl. "There aren't enough hours in my day to rebuke the accusations made against me."His eyes ran over me thoroughly. "Perhaps if your boss hadn't found you asleep on the job, dressed inappropriately, twitching like a cokehead you'd have nothing to defend yourself against."

He was about to dismiss me, I could feel it...well either that or fire me. I was never really sure. I held up my hands in peace. I noticed they were no longer shaking. I thanked the lord for small miracles.

"Don't dismiss me." I took a deep breath. "Please," I added softly, as I released it. His eyes widened slightly. "I'm sorry if I was disrespectful to you." I was. "I just want a chance to explain myself. I don't think that's too much to ask."

He contemplated my request a few moments. "I'm listening." He motioned for me to speak.

"It's very simple." I paused. "It felt like your father smacked me across the face when he tore your letter."

He remained silent as I sat there stunned by my own words.

"Uh actually…I think I was more hurt about it than angry really. I usually turn my pain into anger before letting it go."

The more I spoke the more I wanted to gauge my eyes out...oh wait I already did that. Why the hell was I sharing personal information with him…of all people? I clamped my mouth shut before I could do any further damage.

He looked genuinely confused. "Are you telling me you couldn't sleep last night because you were angry that he tore my letter?"

"Yes…no. I'm not sure." I bit down on my bottom lip in frustration.

He smiled, almost warmly. It did amazing things to his face. "Well now, that does explain a lot."

Reflexively I smiled back at him. How unfathomable for us to be smiling at one another…not smirking, scowling or growling but smiling. Perhaps Laurent really did know what he was doing after all.

"Anyway," my lips just wouldn't stay shut for long. "I couldn't sleep last night and it had nothing to do with partying." I glared at him, but I was still smiling so I definitely looked deranged. I took a moment to wipe the grin off my face before I continued. "I guess in my haze I put on my old uniform. Then I tried waking myself up with caffeine. It could happen to anyone, really."

He shook his head. "Untrue." His fingers ran down the side of his face until they cupped his chin. "This could only happen to you. I can't imagine anyone else having a Happy Hands costume in their closet."

My jaw dropped. "It's not a costume. It's a uniform."

He looked me over disdainfully. "I was being polite by calling it a costume. Don't push it."

I laughed.

And then I laughed some more….and then I laughed even harder. Sweet mother of Jesus, I was having a laughter attack…right in front of Edroar. There was no stopping it though. And just when I'd finally convinced him I wasn't a mentally unstable drug addict.

Such a pity.

I was doubled over, laughing uncontrollably, hacking, gagging, snorting and giggling like the freak I was. My eyes were watering once again. I gasped for air. It felt like I'd been punched in the gut...oh right I was. It went on for hours or at least it seemed that way. I was afraid to look up. Once I finally got a hold of myself I slowly raised my head.

He hadn't moved an inch.

"I have a laughter control problem." My chest heaved as I sucked up a mouthful of air.

"I can see that." He looked perplexed by my behavior.

"It's how I react to tense situations. My emotions just have to come out somehow. I can't hold them in." I thought for a moment. "You should try it."

He made a sour face at my suggestion.

"Oh, come on. Have you ever tried laughing instead of roaring to release your emotions?"

"Roaring?"

"Yeah, you roar… like a lion. You're quite infamous for it, actually." I smirked.

"Am I?" He was flattered.

"Yes, and it's not a trait I would be proud of if I were you."

He glared at me menacingly. "I suppose laughing like a hyena would be more honorable."

I gagged at his cruelty. "Take that back!" I demanded. "I don't laugh like a hyena."

"You do," he insisted. "I bet you're infamous for it."

I narrowed my eyes at his smug expression. "Well at least I don't have a…" I chomped down so hard on my tongue I tasted blood.

Telling Edroar about the book written in his honor would surely be a grave mistake on my part. I was no fool.

He cocked his head to the side. "You don't have a what?"

"Um...I don't have a…lot of money." I sputtered off the top of my head. Well that certainly wasn't a lie.

He eyed me suspiciously. "Proud to be a worthless hyena, are you?"

My finger went in his face. "I am NOT worthless. Money has nothing to do with a person's true value." He was insane to think otherwise.

He grabbed my wrist tightly and yanked my hand away from his face. "It's rude to point, Ms. Swan. I won't warn you again." His eyes darkened, his tone was lethal.

He released my wrist and we entered a hostile stare off. Being around the man was like riding a roller-coaster. I never knew what to expect. That wasn't a problem for me though. I was the girl with her arms in the air; eyes wide open, begging for more when the ride was over.

I tried to imagine Edroar on a roller-coaster. I bet he hated them. He wouldn't be able to handle the loss of control. He'd dislike it for all the same reasons I loved it. We were complete opposites.

What I wouldn't give to see him on a roller-coaster, the button pusher in me snickered deviously. Knowing him, he'd roar at it to stop and it would.

Now where would be the fun in that? I just didn't understand why he always had to be in full control. Didn't he ever just want to let loose?

I glanced up at him from beneath my tear soaked lashes. "Have you ever been on a roller-coaster?"

He looked at me like I was insane. "I don't have time for chitchat." He glanced at the clock. "If you're not dressed appropriately and able to fulfill your job responsibilities when I return this afternoon, I assure you there will be consequences." The look in his eyes told me it was no idle threat.

The tyrant was back, oh joy. I couldn't argue with him though, he was merely asking me to do my job…not dressed like a hippie clown. I let out a small sigh and nodded my head before exiting the room. I'd need to go home on my lunch break to change my outfit.

The gang wouldn't be happy about me missing a team meeting, but with the criminal things I wanted to do to the barefooted bastard down the hall it was definitely for the best.

* * *

During Edroar's afternoon massage things went much smoother…until I asked him about Jake's book.

"Hardly amazing," was his response.

"You're just saying that." I scoffed in disbelief.

He picked up his Rolex off the counter and fastened it around his wrist as he spoke. "It's average at best, clearly written by an amateur and requires a substantial amount of editing." His nose lifted in the air.

"Well it moved me, amateur or not. I think it would move other people too." I must have been crazy to think it might move him.

"A child walking around unattended all day moves you?"

"Maybe it was a small town. I don't know. That's not even the point of the book." I grunted in frustration.

"No, the point of the book is the boy's mother died and no one told him about it. Was that what moved you, Ms. Swan?"

"What are you talking about? The father tells him when he gets home. Maybe the mother just died."

"There are an awful lot of maybes." He paused. "Maybe there shouldn't be."

"Maybe the reader wouldn't be as cynical as you." I moved closer to him.

"Maybe the reader doesn't own a publishing company." He stepped in even closer, his unique scent surrounded me.

"Fine, just give me the book back and I'll tell Jake you weren't interested."

"I didn't say that."

"What?"

"I never said I wasn't interested. I merely said the book is hardly amazing in its current form."

"So you'll meet with him?" A smile broke out across my face.

"Yes."

"You'll be nice to him? No roaring?"

"Why would you ever assume otherwise?" He smirked devilishly at me.

I felt the oddest sensation, in the strangest of places. Had to be the caffeine, I quickly rationalized.

* * *

The rest of the week dragged by, until finally Friday morning arrived. In just two days I'd be in New York. Angela found it hysterical that I was packed and ready to go for nearly a week.

Jazz was still moping about it, but he was coming around. We were going out to celebrate my birthday the following night so that would surely lift his spirits. My cell phone rang before I even got to work. It was Alice. She wanted me to come up to her office after Mr. Cullen's morning massage to sign some paperwork for travel expenses.

Edroar seemed extra tense the last few days. I didn't think that was even possible, but it was. I wondered why. I wanted to ask him but knew he'd just tell me to mind my business.

Oddly enough I did.

Right after his morning massage I straightened up the massage room. Then I went to see Alice. I noticed she looked a bit flustered when I got there.

"Is everything alright?"

"Oh, yes. I'm fine. Just glad it's Friday." Her shoulders were slumped down low.

"That bad of a week?"

"You have no idea." Just as she finished her sentence the intercom on her desk buzzed causing her to flinch.

"Get in here." The Lion growled.

She gulped before standing. "Wait here. I'll be right back…I hope." She said before making her way past me.

Poor girl.

I bet she was more than a little happy the Tyrant was going away. Just my luck he was in such a nasty mood for the trip. I wasn't worried though. I wouldn't be spending much of my time with him.

Just as I began to innocently snoop around Alice's desk I heard footsteps headed my way.

"Hey, Bella," Jake said and then turned to look behind him. "Come on!"He whisper- shouted into the empty air.

A burst of energy rounded the corner.

"Dad, this place is awesome. I told you to wear a suit." The little boy shook his head at his father, disapprovingly.

Jake glanced down at his tan colored khakis and black dress shirt. "I don't even know if my suit still fits. Do I look that bad?"

His son gave him a hesitant once over. "No, you look alright, but you really need to buy a few suits."

Jake laughed. "I'm a bartender, Alex. The only time I wear a suit is for weddings and funerals." He ruffled his son's shiny, black hair.

"Dad, please." The boy scowled up at his father while fixing his hair.

Jake turned his head in my direction. "Bella, I believe you know my agent, Alex." He wiggled his brow playfully.

"Hi, Alex." I dropped down to his level. "You've gotten so big."

"I'm not big for my age." He said with slight frown. "Six of my classmates are taller than me."

"Oh," I smiled at his very serious face. "Well, I bet you're the smartest in the class though."

"I won the Sammy Star award." He said matter-of-factly.

"Wow!" I exclaimed. "That sounds like a pretty big deal."

He shrugged his shoulders. "I guess. In kindergarten coloring is a big deal. First grade is much harder."

"I'm sure it won't be hard for you." I paused. "Don't you have school today?"

"He was supposed to. I got a call on my way here. His school had a water main break and had to close for the day." Jake answered looking more than a little frustrated.

"Oh, I see. Do you want me to keep him company during your meeting?"

"I don't want to impose."

"It's no problem at all." I insisted.

Our conversation was suddenly interrupted by the booming voice of the tyrant.

"Unacceptable," he growled.

Alice was fluttering behind him looking panicked. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen. I didn't realize you needed the paperwork before noon."

Edroar stalked towards us down the hall, full on lion.

I looked over at Jake, instinctively he moved closer to his son who was looking up at the tyrant in awe.

"Give me the file," he demanded harshly.

Alice darted over to her filing cabinet. A few moments later she handed him a large manila folder.

He opened it, quickly scanned its contents and slammed it down on her desk causing her to jump in place.

"Do not leave your desk until this is amended to my standards." His voice was dark and threatening. "Am I clear?"

"Yes, Mr. Cullen," Alice nodded her head as she scurried to sit at her desk.

He shot her an angry glare before turning his attention on us. I decided to ignore his ridiculous outburst and introduce him to Jake.

"Mr. Cullen. This is Jacob Black. The author of the book I gave you last week."

He looked Jake over. His snobby expression made it clear he wasn't impressed with what he saw.

Then his eyes dropped down to Alex who was gazing up at him as though he were at Disneyland standing before Mickey Mouse.

"And you are?"

A small hand rose up in the air. "I'm Alexander Black. This building is very nice. Do you own it? "

The lion shook his hand. "I do."

Alex looked around inquisitively. "Who designed it?"

"I did."

Big brown eyes opened wide as he nodded his head in approval. "When I grow up I'm going to design my own building too. I already started working on the plans for it."

Jake patted his son on the back. "He really did. It's actually very well thought out."

"What kind of business are you going to operate?" Edroar asked Alex, completely ignoring Jake.

"Well," he let out a heavy sigh. "My grandfather said he needs me to help him with his casino when I grow up, but I want to be an architect."

"Then you should be an architect. Don't let someone else make that decision for you."

"Are you an architect?"

"No, I publish books."

"Oh." He drew his brow in tight. "Why didn't you get an architect to design your building then?"

Edroar's nose lifted up high. "The firms I scouted were grossly incompetent. I had to do it myself."

"You did a good job." Alex said honestly.

"Thank you." he seemed almost humbled by the little boy's praise.

"Maybe I can show you the plans I have for my building?" His face was filled with hope.

The tyrant looked down at the child expressionlessly. And then the oddest thing occurred. He reached into his pocket and took out a business card. He held it out to Alex.

"Finalize your blueprint and when you're ready call my office to schedule an appointment." As Alex reached up for the card Edroar pulled it back slightly. "Don't call until you're sure it's ready," he warned.

Alex nodded his head eagerly as Edroar handed him the card. I looked over to Alice, she looked as though she was about to fall off her chair.

"Alright, kiddo. Why don't you go with Bella for a little while? I'll come get you when my meeting is over." Jake looked to me for confirmation.

I nodded my head. "Come on, Mr. Cool. I'll show you around."

"Mr. Cool?" Alex giggled. It was the cutest sound.

I took him for a brief tour of the building; his bright eyes soaked it all up like a sponge. Of course all the ladies swarmed around him, Ooh-ing and ahh-ing. He didn't seem to like the attention so I quickly ushered him away.

"Do you write books?" He asked as we entered the elevator.

"No, I'm a massage therapist." I told him. Once the doors slid shut I pressed the button for the health club.

Very carefully he placed the lion's business card in his pocket and then looked up at me. "What's that?"

"Well, do you know what a massage is?"

His face scrunched up as he thought about it. "My dad rubs my back sometimes when I get upset. Is that a massage?"

"Yep," I smiled. "That's what I do." I wasn't about to get into specifics with him.

"Oh." He was quiet a moment. "You give all these people massages?"

"No," I laughed. "Only Mr. Cullen. I'm his personal massage therapist."

I watched as my words sank in. "Is my dad my personal massage therapist? He only gives me massages."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Judging by the look on his face he seemed to like that answer.

We exited the elevator and made our way down the hall.

"Oh my GAWD!" Jessica's nasally voice screeched from behind us.

Alex's body huddled up against the side of my leg. Before I could say a word Jessica was on her knees in front of him.

"I AM GOING TO EAT YOU!" She squealed in his horrified face.

"Uh…Jess? You're scaring him."

Her mouth formed a wide O and then she poked him in the belly. His arms wrapped around my leg in a death grip.

"Where have you been hiding? Your mommy never told me about you."

"You knew my mom?" His interest was suddenly peaked.

"Of course, silly," she cackled loudly causing me to cringe. Alex let go of my legs to cover his ears.

"He's not my son," I said to her as I picked him up.

I was never very good with children, but oddly enough Alex seemed to like me. Jessica was harmless but she was freaking him out. Hell, she was freaking me out and I was an adult.

"Bella's not your Mommy?" She started talking in a strange Elmer Fudd voice. It was so creepy.

He shook his head. "My mom's dead."

Jessica gasped dramatically. "No! Don't ever say that." She shook her head vigorously. "She's not dead." She reverted back to her naturally nasal tone.

"Yes she is," Alex disagreed persistently. "She's buried in the ground." He was getting agitated so I rubbed his back a little and widened my eyes at Jessica telling her to shut the hell up.

"Nope, souls don't die. She's just in a new body," she said confidently.

"My mom's inside someone else's body?" His eyes grew wide.

I started calculating how much money I'd owe Jake for the therapy sessions his son would need after meeting Jessica.

"Yes." Her face grew very serious. "It's called rebirth. She could be a human, animal or even an insect. You just never know." She looked around mysteriously.

"Jess, I don't think Alex's father shares the same religious belief as you, so I think we should end this conversation. Now," I said sternly.

"End what conversation?" Emmett was standing to my left with a boyish grin on his face. "Well, hello there, little dude." He waved.

"Hello," Alex said shyly.

Seconds later Rose appeared by his side. "Oh, Bella he is adorable. Is he your nephew?"

"No, this is Alex, he's my friend Jake's son. His dad is in a meeting with Mr. Cullen."

All three of them gasped loudly. It still boggled my mind how feared the man was. I mean yes, he was an angry tyrant and all, but my god, you'd think he was pure evil the way they acted.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic," I said. "He's not that bad."

Their jaws dropped in unison. "Maybe not to you." Emmett smirked. "But those of us that have been roared at beg to differ."

"Please, he's roared at me plenty." I rolled my eyes, "It doesn't scare me at all."

"I like Mr. Cullen," Alex agreed with me. "He's gonna help me with my building."

"You have a building?" Jessica clapped her hands vigorously, her bracelets clanging together noisily.

"I will when I grow up," Alex spoke so confidently; there was a hint of arrogance to his tone.

"Oh, my my… is it bring your spawn to work day? I didn't get the memo." My nemesis strutted down the hall.

"No, he's not Bella's son." Jessica explained. "His mother is in samsara."

"Well, who isn't?" Mike's hips swiveled as his hands landed on them.

"True," Jess said. "But his mother-"

"Enough," I spat out at them in annoyance.

Jessica looked as though she were about to burst into tears. Mike threw me a nasty glance. He and I had yet to have it out.

It was way past due, but I didn't want to rip him a new one with an adorable five year old latched onto my hip. So I refrained….for now.

"I have an idea." Rose announced excitedly. "Let's have a funny face contest."

"YAY!" Jessica squealed.

"A what?" I asked.

"Funny face contest!" Jessica screamed. "It's the most fun in the world."

"Wow. In the world?" I laughed. "Who could say no to that? How does it work?"

"The rules are very simple." Rose began. "We get into pairs. We all count down from ten and shout funny face."

"FUNNY FACE!" Jessica shouted while jumping in place and clapping in excitement.

"Not yet Jess, but good Job." Jessica beamed. Rose turned back to me. "So, after we announce it you make your funniest faces at your partner. The goal is to get your partner to laugh. You can't look away." She looked at each of us. "Is everyone in?"

"YES!" Jessica, Mike and Emmett yelled in unison.

"Are we in, Alex?" I asked.

"YES!" He yelled directly in my ear.

"Ouch!" I yelped, rubbing my ear, which caused him to giggle.

"Sorry, Bella," he said sweetly.

How had I never noticed what an amazing sound children's laughter was? I could listen to it all day. And so it was on. Rose put our names in a bowl to determine our first partner.

Jessica, Mike and I were the winners of round one. Jess chose Mike as her round two opponent. I'd battle the winner in the final.

What ensued next was a you _just had to be there_  moment.

It was the freakiest thing I'd ever seen in my life. Rose advised us in a stern voice to hold back our laughter as Mike and Jessica faced off.

There was chanting and moo'ing, tongues twisting, eyes bulging and lips contorting in unnatural positions. The sounds Jessica was making were downright painful.

It was clear they each took the contest very seriously.

Alex covered his mouth with both hands to muffle his giggles. To her credit Jessica held her own. She closed her lips tightly and with wide, bulging eyes began singing in a little girl voice. Even though her lips weren't moving the words were crystal clear.

She really was a ventriloquist. Who would have thought?

The tiny voice deep inside her was belting out Baby Got Back. That did it for me. I quickly ran down the hall to let out a fit of laughter. By the time I returned Mike was gloating and slamming high fives with everyone around him.

Good Lord, could he be more pathetic?

His eyes landed on mine and his prissy little finger beckoned me to him. I chuckled at the serious expression on his face.

"That's right, Yoko, laugh it up. That's what you'll be doing...in Loserville." He taunted, his neck zipping back and forth.

I rolled my eyes at his dramatics. "Bring it, Yoga Boy."

"Alright guys, this is the final round." Rose announced as she placed a hand on each of our shoulders. "We'll count you down. Are you ready?"

I nodded my head. It felt like I was in the Olympics….if there was a freak version.

Mike swiped his hand in front of my face. "Prepare to laugh."

The gang counted us down in unison. "10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…FUNNY FACE!"

The battle was on. If Mike thought he was going to make me laugh he was sorely mistaken. His body was contorting into all sorts of strange positions.

Both feet were twisted behind his head giving me a view of his spandex covered ass that literally made me gag. His tongue was touching his nose, eyes open wide and he was yodeling.

I dropped down into a frog position and began hopping up and down on my hands and feet. I let my tongue hang down low as I burped out the melody for Stairway to Heaven. The amount of hours I spent learning to do that was more than a little embarrassing.

I knew it would come in handy one day.

Just as I was getting to my favorite part of the song a familiar laugh broke out behind me. I went to turn my head and ended up falling over. I was all tangled up in myself and grunting in frustration.

A hand reached out to help me up. "Bella, what in the world are you doing?"

It was Jake. Alice was standing next to him, pouting.

"Time out!" Rose yelled.

With perfect coordination Mike untangled himself and stood. "No such thing. I win."

"What!" I shouted. "No way, I didn't laugh."

"You turned away and forfeited yourself from the competition." His fingers formed an L sign in my face.

"Oh, whatever," I huffed.

I was in the process of flipping him off when at the last second I remembered the five year old boy standing next to me. So I ended up giving him the peace sign instead…which was so not what I wanted.

Mikes eyes darted over to Jake. He looked him up and down thoroughly eye fucking the hell out of him.

"Well, hellooooooo there, lover boy," he cooed, batting his lashes provocatively, his hand was outstretched effeminately.

Jake swallowed deeply and went in for a traditional hand shake, but Mike had other plans. He quickly took it as an opportunity to caress Jake's fingers, giving him what looked to be a hand job…on his hand.

It was obscene.

Jake pulled his hand away and wiped it on his pants. He cleared his throat nervously.

"Daaaad you messed up the game." Alex flailed his arms.

"What game is that?" Jake asked trying to avoid Mike's penetrating stare.

"Funny Face," Alice said. "And I can't believe you guys played without me." She was still pouting.

"Wait…do you seriously play this game when there aren't kids around?" I don't know why I even bothered to ask. Of course they did.

They looked baffled.

"Yeah, why wouldn't we?" Emmett was totally perplexed.

"Never mind." I shook my head then looked at Jake "How did the meeting go?"

He fidgeted with his hair a bit. "Uh, well before or after he gave me the page by page play of my inferiority as a writer?"

I punched his shoulder. "Can't say I didn't warn you."

Jake smiled widely. "Yeah," he shrugged. "I never knew there were so many ways to say 'you suck.'"

"Au contraire, future lover…not just ways to  _say_  it," Mike licked his lips eagerly while staring Jake down.

"So how did the meeting end?" I asked, after throwing Mike a few eye darts.

"He offered to work with me. He assigned me an editor and if the final copy meets his approval my book will be published."

"YAY!" Jessica shouted.

"That's great news. We have to celebrate!" I said excitedly.

Jake shook his head. "Not yet. Let's wait and see if it gets published before we celebrate anything," he laughed. "But we'll definitely be celebrating your birthday tomorrow night. I'm looking forward to that."

"WHAT!" the gang shouted in unison….even Mike.

"Bella, why didn't you tell us?" Rose looked hurt.

"I'll make the cake." Jessica screeched.

Emmett took out his Blackberry. "Where are we meeting and what time?"

I massaged my temples. "Guys, really. It's not necessary."

"Of course it is, silly. We always celebrate our birthdays together and we even have a special birthday-"

"Shhhh…Jesus Jess!" Emmett yelled at her. "It's a surprise."

Her eyes widened. "Oh right. Fun!" she clapped her hands.

"I can't wait to celebrate the fact that you're another year older," Mike said with an evil smirk on his face. He coughed out the word spinster.

"I don't recall inviting you?" I spat at him.

"Burpella please...without me there is no party." He puckered his lips and blew me an obnoxious kiss.

"Can I come, Dad?" Alex tugged on his father's sleeve."

"I don't think so kiddo. It's for adults, but I'll help you make a present for Bella tonight. Alright?" Jake knelt down and put his arm around Alex's shoulders.

"Aw, man." Alex frowned.

"Tell you what." Alice popped in the center of the group. "I'll have everyone over my place for dinner tomorrow night. We'll have cake and then Jake can bring Alex home before we hit the bar scene. Sound good?"

Everyone quickly agreed. Alex's face lit up like a Christmas tree.

I shook my head. "Alice, that's way too much for you to do. Plus, I have Jasper and Angela to include in my plans."

"Bella, stop it. They're invited too, of course. I come from a big family. I know how to cook for a large group. It will be my present to you. I won't take no for an answer. I'll email you the time and address." Before I knew it she was hugging me.

I sighed in defeat but no one heard it; they were too busy chattering with one another. Alex ran over to Alice and asked if Mr. Cullen could come to dinner, her expression was priceless.

I watched as Mike moved in closer to Jake.

God help him…and God help me.

* * *

**A/N** : Next up Bella's birthday dinner and her first plane ride. New York here they come! Wonder why that Tyrant is so tense lately? Should Bella try loosening him up while they're away?

**HUGE LOVE** to Cranberry Jello for starting a Twilighted thread for Edroar and the gang. They can't wait to cause some madness and mayhem over there so please come play. (Link on profile)

**Fun Fact** According to my good friend Google: Samsara is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth/reincarnation within Buddhism, Hinduism and other Indian religions. If you have the full scoop please do tell. I find it fascinating.

**Pictures** of Jake and Alex are on my blog. Alex is too damn cute…I could eat him.

**That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think….it's my birthday wish. I'm 141 this month...give or take a century.


	9. It's Electric!

**A/N: '** Ello Loves…it's so good to be back. I brought my Lion with me and he's in no mood for my blabbering. So I better meet you folks at the bottom.

 **Happymess:**  You are the miracle drug for the punctuation plague…the Angel that fights off my tweak demon….the peanut butter to my jelly…the loofah to my filth.

Caro2lalala & Djsmommie **:**  One of these days I'll get my act together girls. I swear it.

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl with dry feet.*

 

* * *

_**Main attraction in a freak side show. Down in the basement where the cobwebs grow. On my last leg just gettin' by. Halo round my head too tough to die.** _

_**-The Ramones, Too Tough to Die** _

* * *

Being in Angela's car was a rare occurrence for me, I loved the girl dearly, but she drove like an old lady.

Between the constant braking and the stark difference in our musical preferences I couldn't sit in her car for more than ten minutes without fighting the urge to dive out the window into oncoming traffic.

Yet there I sat…in the passenger's seat on the way to Alice's house. I wasn't allowed to drive since we were celebrating my birthday. So far it felt more like a punishment to me but I was making the best of it.

I swallowed a laugh as she belted out the lyrics to the song blasting from her car stereo, her shoulders moving in sync with the beat.

It took me a while to grasp the magnitude of my roommate's boy band devotion. Watching her sprain an ankle as she scaled a hotel wall somehow put it into perspective for me. Angela's criteria for good music was that it be sung by a pack of metrosexual, barely legal, corporate cookie cutters.

Personally, I had nothing against boy bands. I really didn't.

On more than one occasion I found myself bopping around our living room, humming along with her ultimate obsession,  _5Point_. Why they hadn't slapped a restraining order on her crazy ass after her infamous  _Spiderfan_  fiasco was beyond me.

Not to mention the serious damage the girl could do with the maniacal screeching and hysterical sobbing she unleashed at their concerts…which she dragged me to every time they reached a hundred mile radius of Seattle.

Angela was a chronic worrier but when it came to her beloved boy bands she lost all sense of reason. They were her Kryptonite. A few months into our friendship I endured my first concert with her. It was then that I realized with just a few shots of Jose Cuervo I could rock out to pretty much anything.

"I can't believe Jasper is taking a taxi there. Did you tell him I offered to pick him up?" Ange shouted to me over the high pitched voices crooning 'baby, baby' through her speakers.

"Yeah, but he had some things to do and didn't want to keep us waiting," I lied. Jazz knew what car rides with Angela were like.

My body lunged forward as she slammed on the brakes. There was a pothole directly in our path. Instead of veering around it, like every other driver in the history of automotive transportation would do, she crept over it going five miles an hour.

Since veering was far too treacherous for her to even consider, we had to drive over it. It didn't help that she was terrified of potholes. What a horrible friend I was for bursting into a fit of laughter at the fearful expression on her face as she rolled over it at a snail's pace.

Seriously, who's afraid of potholes?

She had one hand wrapped around the steering wheel in a death grip while the other shielded me from the danger that lurked ahead. I was totally going to hell for mocking her, but I couldn't help it.

Funny was funny.

After two extremely loud 5Point songs we finally pulled up to Alice's house. It was picture perfect, small, but warm and inviting. Not to mention…it was a house. Most off my friends lived in apartments, unless they were still mooching off their parents.

The front door swung open as we walked up the path. Alice rushed towards us with a large German Shepherd barreling directly behind her.

"Hey, girls." She waved excitedly, wearing black skinny jeans and a vintage Ramones t-shirt. She looked adorable. I had no idea she was a closet rock chick.

My eyes shot over to Angela and just as I suspected she was white as a ghost. Her fear of dogs was not something I laughed about. She was bitten badly by a neighbor's pit bull as a child.

Of course, the dog was heading straight for her.

She threw her arms up in the air and went running back to the car. Alice put two fingers in her mouth and let out an ear piercing whistle. The dog froze, but Ange kept running.

"Taboo, sit," Alice commanded sternly. The dog obeyed immediately. She walked over to the now docile animal and grabbed his collar. "Sorry guys. He gets so excited when I have company."

Angela had reached the driver's side door and was fumbling in her purse. After a few moments she pulled out her inhaler and began breathing deeply into it.

"What's going on out here?" Emmett appeared in the doorway, wearing acid wash jeans and a 'Born to Rock' t-shirt.

Alice quickly walked the dog over to Emmett. "Can you put Taboo on his runner in the backyard? He's being a bit too friendly with the girls."

"Sure, no problem." He waved to me and Angela before disappearing into the house with the dog.

"All clear!" I yelled to Angela. She looked a bit skeptical, but after contemplating her situation a few moments she slowly walked our way.

"He's really just a big softy. I swear." Alice smiled warmly.

"With very sharp teeth," Ange added as we entered the house.

We followed Alice through the foyer and into her kitchen. Rose and Jessica were busy setting the table. I paused as I took them in. Rose was wearing a short plaid skirt; her tiny t-shirt had a skull in the center of it. Odd.

Yet even more odd was Jessica's outfit. She was stuffed into a skin tight hot pink camouflage jumpsuit with pink combat boots. Her hair was teased so high it nearly hit the ceiling.

"What the hell are you guys wearing?" I was laughing so hard I barely finished the question.

Jessica dropped the fork in her hand and jumped up shouting, "SURPRISE! WE'RE ROCK STARS!" she pouted a little. "You can't tell?"

I smacked the side of my head. "Oh, right. Total rock stars."

"Didn't you get my email, Angela?" Alice asked.

Ange nodded. "Yes, but I was afraid to open it." She picked nervously at a piece of lint on the front of her jacket. "It said 'Rock Until You Drop' in the subject line. I thought it was some sort of virus, so I deleted it immediately and ran a full virus scan on my computer."

Alice's eyes widened dramatically. "Oh, no! That's my fault. I always try to think of clever subject lines for my emails." She walked over to the stove and put on a pair of oven mittens. "I sent it to explain our surprise theme for Bella's birthday dinner."

"Surprise theme?" Angela's face was filled with confusion.

"We always do a surprise theme for our birthday dinners. We put our names into a hat to decide who gets to pick the theme," Rose explained.

"Guess who picked the theme for Bella's dinner?" Jessica was bursting at the seams with excitement, figuratively and literally. The girl was seriously crammed into her jumpsuit.

"Hmmm…let me guess." I looked around the room. "Was it Rose?"

Jessica snickered. "No."

I thought deeply. "Emmett?"

"No," she cackled deviously.

I snapped my fingers. "Oh, I know, Alice?"

"Nooooo," she huffed, growing impatient.

"Oh, I got it!" I yelled out. Jessica started bouncing up and down. "It was Jasper. It must have been him," I said, confidently.

Her face dropped. "No it was me," she sulked. "I thought of it all by myself, too. It's gonna be the most fun EVER!" she squealed in delight.

Angela looked down at her conservative outfit and frowned, no doubt beating herself up for not being dressed properly. "Oh, god, I'm such a moron. I should have opened your email. I could have borrowed something of Bella's to wear tonight. Now I've ruined your party, I'm so sorry Alice." She was quickly working herself into a panic.

Alice waved her off. "Don't even worry about it. We can rock you out in no time." She opened the oven and pulled out a giant meatloaf in the shape of a guitar.

It was incredible; the guitar strings were made from slices of bacon. Alice walked over to the table and carefully set it down.

"That's amazing, Alice," I gushed.

"Yeah, well, it was originally going to be a microphone since you sing, but ah…" Alice trailed off.

"It looked like a huge penis," Jessica cackled.

"Did someone say huge penis?" Mike sashayed into the room in red leather pants and vest with no shirt beneath it. He had a matching studded collar around his neck and red moccasins on his bare feet. He looked like a fire hydrant from hell.

"Did you bring the magic ice cream?" Jessica asked eagerly, eyes wide open.

Mike reached into his designer duffel bag and pulled out a large tray. "It's not ice cream hooch…they're electric Popsicles." He pranced over to the refrigerator and put the tray in the freezer.

"Yay! They're so delicious. I can never have just one." She clapped joyfully.

"No more than two for you, Jess. Remember what happened last time," Rose warned.

Jessica's face grew serious. "Oh, yeah. I got a brain freeze and passed out."

Rose nodded. "And then when you woke up you thought you were a talking butterfly."

They all laughed at the memory of it and I was surprised to find myself wishing I'd been there. Good Lord, the crazies were getting to me.

Emmett entered the kitchen through the back door. "What's so funny?"

Alice was still giggling as she struggled to get the words out. "We were just talking about the last time Jessica had electric Popsicles."

A shit eating grin appeared on Emmett's face. "The Butterfly Effect," he let out a loud guffaw and they all broke into a fit of laughter again.

Ange and I looked at each other. I'd told her all about the gang and their wacky ways, but it was interesting to see her witness it for herself. 'See,' my eyes said to her, 'they're crazy.'

We shared a private laugh at their expense. They were oblivious to it though, caught up in their own little world… as always.

The doorbell rang, breaking the moment. "I'll get it," Alice yelled as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

I tried helping Rose and Jessica with dinner but they shooed me away. They had no problem putting Angela right to work though. Emmett announced he was going to put some rock star music on, leaving Mike and I to make small talk with one another.

"Nice outfit," I said with a sly smirk.

"I know." He ran his hands down the sides of his blood red pants. "I'm so hot even I can't keep my hands off myself."

I rolled my eyes at his ridiculousness, but he was far too busy groping himself to notice.

His eyes shot up to mine when he was done. "You should spend a little more time on your appearance, Bella," he smirked back at me. "Or do you like being alone?"

I had to laugh. "I should be taking fashion advice from you?" I swiped the air around him. "Look, I have no intention of ruining Alice's dinner, but don't think for one minute I've forgotten you sabotaged me." My finger was in his face.

He swatted my hand away like a bug. "Apples, please," his neck swiveled. "That wasn't sabotage. How the hell was I supposed to know your spinster ass was crazy enough to spray an unidentified fluid all over your boss's body? Honestly, who does that?" He had the nerve to ask.

Before I could even respond, Alice came charging into the room with Jasper behind her. He was wearing his favorite Ramones  _Too Tough to Die_  t-shirt. It was the same shirt Alice had on; with his black jeans they looked like twins; even their hair looked similar.

I cackled instantly. "You can't be serious." I kept laughing, it just got funnier and funnier the longer I looked at them.

Alice folded her arms. "I'm not changing, this shirt has a lot of meaning for me," she smiled sweetly. "I've had a thing for the Ramones since I was a little girl, my Aunt Lidia is a well known groupie and for my thirteenth birthday she slept with Joey and got this for me. Look!" She pointed to her chest proudly.

We all looked at Alice's chest closely. Sure enough there it was in faded ink 'Alice, Gabba Gabba we accept you; one of us', with Joey's sloppy signature right under it.

Jazz's eyes bugged out of his head. "No fucking way!" He was salivating.

"Way," Alice said simply.

The oven buzzer went off. "Oh, I'll get that." She rushed over to the stove, with Jasper's eyes following her the entire way. He was mesmerized.

"Earth to Jazz." I snapped my fingers in front of his face.

He blinked a few times before looking at me. "Are you ready to party birthday girl?" he gave me his most wicked grin, the boy was clearly up to no good.

"I'm leaving for New York in the morning, so you better behave tonight." I knew that gleam in his eye all too well.

I didn't want to be hung over for my first plane ride. Not to mention it would be highly unacceptable behavior in Edroar's opinion and I promised myself I wouldn't push his buttons while we were away.

Jasper tossed me a lazy smile as he threw his arm across my shoulders. "All the more reason to celebrate, Darlin'."

Alice was zipping around the kitchen at lightning speed. She wasn't kidding when she said she knew how to cook for a large group. Her pots and pans were industrial sized.

The doorbell rang and I heard Emmett's booming voice yell, "got it," from somewhere in the house.

Alice tapped her chin lightly as her bright eyes scanned the room. "Okay, who's going to be our bartender for the night?"

Mike waved a prissy hand in the air. "I'll do it, but only if you all call me Booze Master." He shimmied over to the bar.

Jessica's deafening scream pierced the air and to my dismay she started screech talking. I had no idea what the hell she was saying, she sounded like a freaked out bird. I covered my ears before turning around.

Jake was standing in the doorway with Alex in front of him. They both wore faded jeans, white t-shirts and black leather biker jackets. Alex's hair was in a spiky mohawk. He really did look cute enough to eat.

"Hi, Jake," I waved. "Who's this rock star you brought with you?" I eyed the mini rocker looking up at me. "I thought Alex was coming tonight?"

Alex giggled. "Bella, it's me."

My eyes widened. "Wow! You never told me you were a rock star." I shook my finger at him.

"I'm not really a rock star. I just dressed up for your party. It's pretend," he explained as though I were an idiot.

"Oh, well you did a good job. I didn't even recognize you. Are you sure you're Alex?" I teased.

"Yes." He shook his head at my silliness. "There's no five year old rock stars." He chuckled at the thought.

Dinner was delicious, though Jessica made sure to voice her disgust over our brutal cow desecration.

"It's survival of the fittest," Emmett said with a mouthful of meat.

Jessica shook her head vigorously. "Humans can survive without eating meat."

"Yeah, but who the hell wants to live on tofu and wear pleather?" He pointed to Mike with his fork. "I bet that cow would be damn proud to know it made a fashion statement like that."

Mike nodded his head in agreement. "Oh, yes. It's quite an honor to be wrapped tightly around this body," he spoke seductively, while keeping his eyes firmly on Jake.

I choked on my meat and grabbed for the water.

We'd barely finished eating before Jessica was begging for dessert. Alice told her she had to wait a bit longer and then grabbed Angela before darting from the room. Mike took his place behind the bar and started mixing drinks. He refused to serve anyone that didn't address him as Booze Master.

Whenever Jazz addressed him it sounded more like Booze Bastard, but Mike was far too busy trying to seduce Jake to notice. Alex and I had just discovered the video game arsenal when Alice appeared in the doorway.

She cleared her throat loudly. "May I have your attention please?" she waited for all eyes to land on her. "It's my pleasure to present to you…Lady AgAg."

Seconds later Angela crept into the room wearing a neon yellow wig, silver hot pants and an abstract eye mask. The room broke out into cheers and whistles.

Ange nearly jumped out of her skin with all the attention, her eyes widened like saucers. She was twitching nervously, her shoulders slumped forward. Alice was still clapping exuberantly as Angela slowly made her way over to the bar.

"CAKE TIME!" Jessica screeched at the top of her lungs, causing everyone to migrate into the kitchen.

"Aren't we going wait for Mr. Cullen to get here?" Alex asked as he climbed onto his chair.

There were several dramatic gasps. "Mr. Cullen's coming?" Jessica looked terrified.

Alice shook her head. "No, he's far too busy to come here for a birthday dinner," she explained to Alex softly.

"Did you invite him?" he asked, curiously.

She crinkled her nose before answering. "No, but I didn't need to, I know his schedule. He doesn't have time for birthday parties, he works constantly."

Alex frowned. "Last year nobody invited John Guidry to their birthday parties because he eats crayons, but I invited him to mine. I just made sure to hide my crayons." He shrugged. "It was easy. Maybe Mr. Cullen wouldn't work all the time if he had other stuff to do."

Alice's mouth fell open but nothing came out, she was speechless. She thought over his words and smiled. "You know what? You may have a point. I never thought of it that way before."

Emmett pulled up a chair and plopped down. "Yeah, except Mr. Cullen doesn't eat crayons, he eats people."

Jessica, Mike, and Lady AgAg nodded their heads in agreement.

I laughed at their seriousness. "Guys, be real. He growls a bit, but I highly doubt he's ever eaten anyone."

"A bit?" Emmett widened his eyes. "If we're being real it's much more than a bit and what makes you so sure he hasn't eaten anyone? I bet he would just love to eat one of us for breakfast." He grinned snidely.

"He has a point." Rose placed the party plates down on the table. "It's very common for employees to disappear from Cullen Publishing, never to be heard from again. We're told they're fired, but who knows they could have been lunch." Her brow rose accusingly.

I scoffed at their silly theories. By no means was the man warm and fuzzy, but that didn't make him a cannibal for Christ's sake.

"Mr. Cullen wouldn't eat anyone." Alex folded his arms and scowled. "I'd growl at people too if I never got to do anything fun."

He's right," Alice said, sternly. "I should have invited him to come for dinner. Maybe Bella can bring him a piece of her birthday cake when she sees him tomorrow." She winked at me.

"CAKE!" Jessica's tone was so high pitched we heard the dog howling in the yard.

"Alright, alright come help me then." Alice laughed at Pep's enthusiasm.

Jessica leaped across the room to Alice's side.

The cake was scrumptious, but it wasn't the main event…those damn electric Popsicles that Mike brought were. I totally got why Jessica was so excited over them, they were amazing. I was just about to go for my third when Rose gave me a look of warning.

"What?" I quirked a brow at her inquisitively.

"I wouldn't have a third if I were you, things get…sketchy after two." Her face was dead serious.

"Okay, but why? What's in them?" They were like nothing I'd ever had before. I assumed there was some sort of liquor involved since I felt a bit tingly, but how much could there be if I didn't even taste it?

She moved in closer to me. "Only Mike knows the recipe and he won't tell a soul," she spoke in a hushed tone. "We've all learned not to eat more than two. Trust me."

I nodded my head at her and she seemed satisfied. Honesty, I wasn't sure whether or not to take her seriously after her crazy Edroar cannibalism theory. My eyes slowly scanned the room, Mike was holding out a Popsicle to Jake but he politely declined it.

Alex was on his second piece of cake, he had frosting all over his mouth and hands. Mike told him the Popsicles were for grownups, so he negotiated two pieces of cake.

I had no idea how many Jazz had and that concerned me. He looked fine but just to be sure I made my way over to him.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, cautiously.

"Fine, these Popsicles are fucking delicious." He grinned.

"How many have you had?" My voice was calm.

"I don't know, a few," he shrugged. "Is there more? Do you want one?" he was about to get up from his chair, but I pushed him back down.

I moved in close to him. "No, I don't and neither do you." I spoke in a hushed warning tone like Rose.

Jasper smiled up at me. "Relax, Bella." He laughed at my stern face. "What's gotten in to you?"

I sighed. "Rose told me not to eat more than two of those Popsicles. Nobody but Mike knows what's in them and weird things have been known to happen."

He nodded in understanding. "Well, if that's the case you might want to check on Angela, she's had way more than two."

"Shit!" I whisper shouted. "Why didn't you stop her?"

"Why the hell would I stop her from eating Popsicles?" He scoffed.

My eyes darted around at lightning speed, I didn't see her anywhere. I quickly asked around and no one knew where she was. I wanted to kill Mike…again, but first I had to find Ange. I searched the bottom floor of the house before walking over to Alice to explain the situation.

Her eyes widened a little. "Okay, don't panic, she'll be fine," but she didn't look convinced. "Maybe she's upstairs."

I nodded and followed her up the staircase. We searched the second floor…no Angela. I looked out the front window, her car was still outside. I tried calling her cell phone and heard it ringing in her purse on the counter.

I stomped over to Mike. "What the hell did you put in those Popsicles?" My hands were on my hips.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he smirked, playfully.

I was just about to deck him when Alice yelled out, "Oh my god, Bella, look!"

I shot him a murderous glare before storming away. Alice was standing in the kitchen door looking out into the back yard. I stood behind her and couldn't believe my eyes. Angela was sitting in the grass giggling hysterically as a hundred pound German shepherd licked her face.

We looked at each other in shock before bolting across the lawn. "Ange!" I called out.

Her eyes shot up to mine and a goofy grin spread across her wet face. "Isabella," she sang and then giggled hysterically at an unknown joke.

I dropped down to her level. "Are you feeling okay?" I couldn't hide the concern in my voice. Her eyes looked a little spaced out, but other than that she seemed fine. She was still wearing her yellow wig and eye mask, though they were both a bit crooked.

"I'm feeling GREAT!" she exclaimed. "I love this dog." She wrapped her arms around the furry beast beside her and gave him a loud, smacking kiss. The dog licked Angela's nose causing her to giggle hysterically again.

"Looks like the feeling's mutual," I held out my hand. "Come on, it's time to say good-bye to your friend."

She let me pull her up without a fight. Once she was on her own two feet she waved at the dog and blew him a few kisses before turning towards the house. She refused to call it a night, so against my better judgment I drove her car over to Sully's, a little dive bar that Jazz and I hung out at.

It wasn't the type of place Angela would ever want to go.

The bartenders there scared her. They had tattoos and piercings, making them potential murderers and rapists in her mind. Whenever Jazz was around she was visibly nervous for that same reason. I knew she was afraid of Jasper, but she was far too polite to say anything.

He usually kept his distance from her and let me know what a strange roommate I had.

That was the roommate I used to know, the new  _Popsicled_ version of Ange was busy chatting up the bartender, giggling hysterically without a care in the world. I hovered over her like a mother hen at first, but backed off when I realized she was having a really good time. I didn't want to ruin her night.

I'd never seen her so worry free.

She was still wearing the bright yellow wig and eye mask. I laughed out loud when she introduced herself to the bartender as Lady AgAg. He seemed to find her entertaining and I knew he was harmless…for the most part.

Jazz lined up a few shots and beckoned me over to the other side of the bar.

I shook my head slowly. "Nice try, but I'm driving Angela's car. I already told you I'm behaving tonight."

"Angela?" he looked around the bar. "Oh, you mean Lady AgAg?" his eyes locked on my roommate, who at that particular moment was downing a shot of Southern Comfort with a pack of dirty biker boys.

Ange high fived each one of them after slamming her empty shot glass down on the bar.

Jasper's eyes shot back to mine. "I bet she wouldn't mind if you left her car here for the night and cabbed it."

I sighed heavily. "I leave for New York in the morning and I definitely don't want to spend my first flight hurling in the bathroom."

He pouted a little. "Aw come on, Izzybell, we have to celebrate your birthday. You think that Fat Cat is gonna celebrate it with you?"

I laughed at the thought. "Hell no, he won't even know it's my birthday. It's a business trip." I smiled at his sulky expression. "Look, Jazz, I really appreciate your concern, but getting bombed isn't what I want this year."

He frowned at my words.

I punched his arm, which for us was a loving gesture. "Just hanging out with my best friend is all I need this time. Okay?"

I looked into his grey blue eyes, the same eyes that sucked me in on the playground so many years before and hoped he would see how honest I was being with him.

He nodded before taking a swig of his beer. "Alright, but don't think you're making a habit out of this shit. When my birthday comes around I'm getting fucking smashed and you better be right there beside me puking your guts out." He smirked, devilishly.

"Of course, where else would I be?" I smirked back.

His hand grabbed hold of my chin. "If that cake eater gives you any shit you set him straight or I'll do it for you. You hear me?" The lethal look in his eyes let me know just how serious he was.

I pinched the cheeks on his stern face. "Such a warrior," I chuckled.

He dropped his hand. "I'm not kidding, Bella. I don't like the thought of you so far away with that guy. Jake says he's a real hot head."

My eyes widened dramatically. "On no! A hot head. I've never been around one of those before. What ever will I do?" I feigned fear.

He scowled at me. "Wise ass."

I ruffled his hair, causing him to scowl even more. "Stop worrying. They don't call me Buttercup for nothing. I'm a force to be reckoned with." I lifted my arms and flexed my muscles.

He laughed in my face. "You just remember my words," his eyes softened. "Enjoy your trip, Buttercup." he winked at me before walking away.

Staying sober gave me the chance to sit back and watch the night unfold, I rarely got to do that. Usually, I was so caught up in the action that I missed all the details. The gang was more than happy to drink the night away with Jasper.

Much to Mike's dismay Jake left before midnight. He had to pick up Alex and didn't want to bring him home too late.

Within half an hour of meeting her new friends at the bar, Angela decided she was buying a motorcycle. The visual of her braking and crawling over potholes on a bike caused me to burst into a fit of laughter.

The usual bar flies swarmed around Jazz. The boy was a natural flirt so he fed the flames without even trying. A red headed bimbo straddled his lap, cooing filthy perversions in his ear, while two others waited in line behind them, it was totally ridiculous.

Even he had a limited amount of patience for it, so when bimbo number two bitch slapped bimbo number three he shooed them all away and came to sit with us. The gang and I were hanging out at a table in the corner of the bar, the whole place was dark and seedy, but the corner was even more so.

The minute we sat down Jessica screeched, "Scarytime!"

Emmett whipped out a pocket flashlight and held it beneath his chin, illuminating his face in an eerie glow…and so it began.

I didn't even bother asking questions. I learned to just go with the flow. They were telling a group ghost story. When the storyteller used a player's name that person had to guzzle their drink and then continue on with the story, I got out of guzzling since I was the designated driver.

The story was actually more funny than scary since they all had such different ideas on what should happen, the plot changed drastically with each new speaker.

By round four they were all blitzed out of their minds and laughing hysterically at everything they said. I noticed Alice and Jasper were sitting real close together, their heads practically touching as they snickered at private jokes. It seemed the two had developed a twin connection.

Though he would never admit it, I knew my zany co-workers were growing on Jazz. Hell, I could barely admit it to myself. Why should I expect him to?

By three that morning I was done. I had to drag Angela away from her buddies at the bar. Her wig was covering her eyes as she told me about the tattoo she was getting, a 5Point tattoo...across her back.

She convinced her new pals, who had never heard of the band, that they rocked 'hardcore'. The crazy Popsicle girl somehow talked a gang of degenerate hell raisers into going with her to 5Point's next concert in Seattle.

I really had to see that.

* * *

Angela was still sleeping when the car came to pick me up the next morning.

I wondered how much of her alter ego she'd be waking up with. I also wondered what the hell was in those damn Popsicles. I got the feeling Mike would never tell, the sneaky bastard.

I left Ange a quick note telling her I'd call from New York.

It was a day of firsts for me all around because I'd never ridden in a limousine before, not that I ever wanted to. In my mind they were nothing but flashy vessels for rich arrogant assholes.

I rolled my eyes at the sight of them.

Yet, there I sat in the back of a limo bouncing with excitement. As long as I could remember whenever I saw an airplane glide through the sky I wondered where it would land and what sort of adventure awaited its passengers.

Now, I would be the one in the sky, I would have the adventure.

The limo pulled alongside a sleek private jet, the Cullen Publishing logo obnoxiously stamped on the side of it. My face was practically flat against the window. I felt like a starry eyed child.

Alice told me I'd be traveling in the company jet, normally such a blatant display of wealth would disgust me, but I was so pumped about going to New York I overlooked it.

Was it wrong that I was even more excited to be traveling in a private jet? My inner rock star was totally silent. Apparently shameful extravagance was perfectly acceptable in certain situations.

My car door sprung open bringing me back to the moment, a stocky gray haired man bearing no expression stood before me offering his hand. How strange it felt being catered to like that. It was unnerving.

I waved him off as I stepped out of the car. "Thanks so much for the ride, I really appreciate it," I smiled awkwardly.

He smiled back, bringing his face to life. "Enjoy your trip, Ms. Swan." He shut the door the second I stepped away from the car.

"I'm going to New York." My voice was full of glee, it barely sounded like me.

"Yes, I know," he held back a laugh, I definitely amused him.

"Oh, right," I laughed at my own stupidity and gave a small wave before turning away.

A goofy grin appeared on my face as I climbed the staircase up to the plane. I stilled midway.  _Crap!_  I forgot my luggage. I jogged back down the staircase in a hurry. It would be just my luck to end up in New York with nothing but the clothes on my back.

The limo pulled away before I reached the last step.

"Wait!" I yelled out as I ran after it, waving my arms frantically. I tried in vain to catch up to a moving vehicle.

All my money, which wasn't much, was in my suitcase. If I wasn't so god damn starry eyed at the sight of the plane I would have thought to get my bag. I cursed my wretched luck for several minutes before realizing Mr. Cullen could just call the driver to come back.

I started running at top speed towards the plane. I tore up the staircase taking two at a time and dove straight through the entrance, plowing directly into something very hard.

"Umph." I landed on my ass. It felt like I hit a rock wall. I looked up dazed from the impact.

"What on earth are you doing?" The Lion didn't look happy.

"Can you call the driver back here please?" I begged, literally, I was on my knees before him.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, smoothly.

I nodded vigorously. "Yes, I left my luggage in the limo," I panted. "If you could please call the driver and ask him to come back I'll run down and grab my suitcase. I can't believe I forgot to take it with me," I grumbled a slew of obscenities under my breath.

"That won't be necessary," he said, sharply.

My jaw dropped. "I most definitely think it will be necessary." I tried desperately to keep my voice respectful.

His eyes darkened. "Get off the floor," he glared at me. "We're about to take off."

I folded my arms stubbornly. "Why won't you call him?"

His long frame leaned over me menacingly. "Because, your luggage is on the plane, now get off the floor," he barked before stalking away.

Slowly I stood up, my ass burned from the rough landing. How the hell did my luggage get on the plane? I didn't hear the trunk open or close. Obviously the driver was a ninja, though I suppose I was in a bit of a brain fog before he opened my door.

As I boarded the plane I was struck by how spacious it was. I'd often heard people complain about leg room while flying. That certainly wouldn't be a problem. The interior was designed much like Cullen Publishing's headquarters, regal yet modern.

It was twice the size of Jasper's apartment for Christ's sake.

Enchanting artwork decorated the walls. Again, I should have been thoroughly disgusted by such wasteful decadence, but I was leaving Washington. There was no way in hell I was going to let anything rain on my parade, including myself.

The smile on my face was ear to ear, that almost never happened to me, the feeling was unfamiliar, but I liked it.

Edroar was nowhere to be found. I managed to piss him off before we even left the ground. I decided to make an extra effort to be on my best behavior the entire flight. I plopped myself down on the couch and waited for takeoff, still grinning like a fool.

When the engines came to life a bolt of electricity raced through my system. I hopped up on my knees and pushed my nose against the window to see if we were moving yet…we weren't. My eyes stayed glued to the window not wanting to miss a single second.

"Welcome aboard, Ms. Swan. Would you care for refreshment?" a feminine voice asked from behind me. I peeled my face from the window and spun around. A striking woman stood smiling at me.

"I'll just have water thanks," I smiled back. "I'm Bella." I hated being called Ms. Swan, it was so stuffy.

"Welcome, Bella, my name is Mandy. I'll be the attendant for this flight. Please let me know if you need anything." Her name tag was pinned directly above the Cullen Publishing logo on her tight fitting uniform.

"Thanks, I will." I was still grinning like a freak, though I tried my best to tone it down.

I watched as Mandy walked away, her hips swayed from side to side rhythmically. She was incredibly voluptuous, like an old time movie star.

My face went right back in the window. I must have looked like a spastic puppy, but I couldn't help it. Being a visual person I wanted to absorb everything.

It was a gloomy day, which wasn't unusual for Seattle. I wondered what the weather would be like in New York. Angela helped me pack for pretty much any scenario, so I wasn't worried.

"Ms. Swan," the Tyrant's deep voice broke into my bubble.

"Yes," my muffled reply came from inside the window.

I heard a frustrated sigh. "Unless you want a broken nose I suggest you take your seat."

I turned to face him. "Excuse me?" I was still grinning from ear to ear.

"Do you generally place your face against the window during takeoff?" There was a slight smirk on his lips.

"Sometimes," I lied.

"Really?" He looked doubtful.

I nodded. Why I was lying about something so ridiculous I had no idea.

"Take your seat," he ordered, before walking away.

I huffed like a child as I ripped myself from the window, he was so damn bossy. I went over to one of the recliners and plopped myself down. Mandy was at my side seconds later.

She placed my drink in the cup holder. "Buckle up, Bella."

I stared into her ample cleavage as she leaned down. How could you not? It demanded attention.

"You probably fly a lot, right?" I asked, being the queen of small talk as always.

Mandy swung her long dark hair behind her shoulders. "I get around." She winked, playfully.

Oh, I bet she did. I smirked to myself. It was clear she had…assets and knew how to use them. I wondered if she shared her assets with Edroar.

That thought disgusted me.

He probably had a slew of women to fill his needs. Not that I was a sappy romantic or anything, but casual sex just wasn't my thing. Jazz and I disagreed about that all the time. He thought one night stands were like bite sized relationships. He never wanted the full meal. It was always just a snack for him.

Honestly, I could see his point.

Couples were really annoying. We agreed on that much. I just could never do one night stands. They were so unappetizing to me, so empty. I'd rather starve.

I buckled myself in and looked around. Edroar was sitting at the conference table, briefcase open, documents in hand. He was eying them with great focus. Mandy sauntered her way over to him, all hips and cleavage.

"Mr. Cullen, your drink." She bent down low and placed the drink before him.

He gave a slight nod without looking up.

The next thing I knew we were moving down the runway. I had to fight the urge to plaster myself against the window. The sheer force of the takeoff pushed me back into my seat, I gasped at the intensity of it. Then calmness filled the cabin, I unbuckled myself and headed straight for the window.

I tried to be smooth about it, but my heart was leaping out of my chest. The cool glass chilled my face. I felt like I was floating, a sea of white, rolling, clouds stretched out to infinity. It was surreal. I remained glued to that spot until Mandy called me to my seat for lunch.

I wolfed down my food barely chewing it. I wanted to bring my lunch over to the window but she'd set the table so nicely it would've been rude.

The Lion was still reading through documents intently, his sleeves rolled up, hair in total disarray. I thought about what Alex said. Was Edroar the kid who ate crayons, never to be included in any of the fun? I finished my lunch and made my way over to him.

He hadn't even touched his food. I stood there a few moments before clearing my throat to get his attention.

"Yes," he said without looking up.

"You haven't eaten," I stated the obvious.

He lowered the document and glanced down at the plate disdainfully. "I'll pass." He turned his nose up and went back to reading.

I laughed at his pompous attitude. He really was a Fat Cat through and through.

"Something funny, Ms. Swan?" He was still reading.

"You," I admitted honestly.

His eyes shot up to mine, a spark of light flickered within their stormy darkness. Something about those green eyes drew me right in, like words on a page they told a story and I wanted to read it, but I only got glimpses before the book slammed shut.

"Do I amuse you?" He stared me down aggressively, instinctively I matched his gaze.

"Yes," I smirked. "You're a snob."

He raked his fingers through his hair. "I don't accept inferiority in any capacity. That makes me a snob?"

"Yes." I nodded. "Big time."

He leaned back in his chair, stretching his legs out. "Well then, I suppose I'm a big time snob. Is that all?"

"No." I moved in a little closer. "I was just wondering…did you eat crayons when you were a child?"

He pondered my question a few moments. "Only the blue ones, the other colors paled in comparison."

I laughed. "I bet you were a snobby child. You probably had gold plated crayons," I teased.

Whatever memory I stirred up obviously wasn't a pleasant one. The book slammed shut instantly, darkness engulfed the light.

Just as he was about to respond the plane suddenly shook, causing me to lunge forward. I lost my balance and landed directly in his lap.

"What the hell was that?" My eyes were wide open and darting around wildly.

"Just a little turbulence," he explained, calm, cool and collected.

"A little?" I scoffed. "It felt more like a lot to me."

He took in my fearful expression with great interest. "You're afraid." The shock on his face was evident.

"What? I am not," I huffed, defensively.

His strong jaw lowered, dangerously close to mine. "Liar," he enunciated the word very slowly.

My mouth dropped open at his gall. I narrowed my eyes as my hands flew to my hips. Swiftly everything about him became predatory, it happened so fast I wasn't prepared.

Dark tormented eyes ignited bearing straight into mine with such intensity it literally took my breath away.

Greedily I soaked up all I could. He was exposed to me…for the moment. There was so much to take in I was slightly overwhelmed by it all. Yet, I was so completely mesmerized I couldn't look away. The warmth of his breath brushed against my cool skin, reminding me to breathe.

How in the world did I forget to breathe?

The plane jolted again, breaking the spell I was under, I gripped the back of his chair firmly with both hands while calling upon the holy family at the top of my voice. He chuckled wickedly, delighted by my horror. His cruelty truly knew no bounds.

I glared at him fiercely.

Then I got it, just as I laughed at Angela's ridiculous fear of potholes….funny was funny. Who knew Edroar of all people would understand that. I erupted into a fit of giggles. My grandmother always told me, 'If you can't laugh at yourself you have a pretty shitty sense of humor'.

Mandy's assets were suddenly thrust in my face. "Looks like we may be in for a bumpy ride, Sir."

Where in the hell had she come from?

"I gathered," he replied dismissively, his eyes never leaving mine.

It was at that moment I noticed I was sitting in the Tyrant's lap, my hands above his head boxing him in beneath me, his arms were wrapped tightly around my waist. He must have realized it too because he abruptly pulled them away.

You'd think it would've been awkward, it should have been awkward, yet somehow it wasn't…at all.

Good Lord, how long would I have sat there if Mandy's maracas hadn't shown up? It was bizarre how comfortable it felt. Clearly the high altitude was messing with my mind. I jumped to my feet the moment she stepped back.

Her dark brown eyes rolled over me carefully before she sauntered away. She was sizing me up, that I was sure of. I knew the look. Jazz's never ending flock of bimbos gave it to me all the time.

It was the 'What's so special about her?' look. I understood why Jasper's groupies felt that way, he made it clear how special I was to him, but that certainly wasn't the case with Edroar.

I spent the rest of the flight by my window, it was so peaceful. The Tyrant was back at work, a slight crease formed on his brow as his eyes scanned the page in front of him. When Mandy came over to let me know we'd be landing soon she had a smug look on her face.

"Will you be on our return flight as well?" I asked, trying to make small talk with her.

She nodded. "Yes, just let me know if you and Mr. Cullen would like some alone time."

I coughed on her words. "Alone time? I don't think that will be necessary." She couldn't be serious.

Her maracas bounced as she laughed in my face. "Oh, Sweetie, don't be coy," Mandy smirked knowingly. "Lord knows I've tried getting his attention for years," she pointed to her bountiful tata's. "Even the gayest of gays appreciate this view, if you know what I mean?" She winked.

I nodded, because I did know what she meant.

She glanced over her shoulder at the Tyrant before turning back to me. "Not once has that man looked at me," she paused. "But he sure does notice you," Her eyes swept me from head to toe. "He sure does notice you," she repeated, as though she was baffled by her own words.

I rolled my eyes at the absurd conversation we were having. "I'm Mr. Cullen's personal massage therapist, of course he notices me. It's my job to know him a little more intimately than the rest of his employees." I explained, even though that really should have been obvious in my opinion.

Her hips swiveled. "And what a deliciously exhausting job that must be," she grinned snidely.

I gaped at her outlandish insinuation. "I assure you nothing inappropriate is going on," my tone was stern. "As a matter of fact we spend most of our time arguing," I added with complete honesty.

She patted my shoulder to appease me. "Oh, yes, Honey, I saw the two of you  _arguing_ ," her smirk widened. "Where I come from that's called foreplay."

My eyes nearly rolled out of my head. "That's the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. We barely tolerate each other."

The woman dipped into the mini-bar. It was the only possible explanation.

Her finger tapped lightly against her cheek. "Right…you barely tolerate each other," she chuckled. "Forgive me for thinking otherwise."

I brushed her off. "Clearly, you misread the situation. I knew you had the wrong impression when you gave me that look earlier." My brow rose accusingly.

The smug smirk returned. "That you noticed?"

I nodded. "Yes, I noticed it right away, I rarely miss anything. I'm highly observant."

She found that extremely amusing for some odd reason. The girl was a bit off for sure, but then again so was the entire club staff.

Either human resources had a habit of hiring crazies or working for the Tyrant turned them loopy. Who could say, but I had to wonder what that meant for me.

It wasn't long before a breathtaking skyline appeared within my little window. It was love at first sight. I couldn't wait to get off that plane and smell the New York air. Once we landed, I unbuckled myself and darted for the exit giving a quick wave to Mandy along the way.

"Have a pleasurable trip, Bella," her smugness filled the cabin.

"Thanks, I plan on it." My smile was ear to ear.

She mumbled something to herself and laughed heartily as she waved good-bye to me. The chick obviously had issues. I paused at the top of the staircase and inhaled deeply. It smelled like grease, grime and grit with a tinge of sweetness to it.

It was heavenly.

There was a long black limo waiting at the bottom of the stairs, a driver stood at attention next to it. I looked behind me and saw the Lion headed my way, briefcase in hand, suit jacket slung over his shoulder.

"My luggage?" I had to ask.

"Taken care of." He shooed me down the stairs.

Seriously, who were these mysterious luggage carriers? The driver gave a curt nod to each of us as he opened the car door. I slid in first followed by the Tyrant. Within seconds his cell phone rang.

"Yes," he answered, stiffly.

I plastered my face against the window as we pulled away, my nose would be completely flat by the time I returned to Seattle, but I just couldn't help it.

"Unacceptable," the Tyrant growled into his phone. "I'll have the contract within the hour or the deal is off," I glanced at him from over my shoulder, the corner of his lip was curled into a menacing snarl. "Yes, that was a threat." He abruptly ended the call and barked at the chauffeur to drive faster.

He was a ruthless businessman, not that I ever doubted it, I just hadn't actually seen him in action. No wonder he was so tense.

Alice said he worked constantly, was that what his work entailed, always battling to be top dog? Did he ever drop his guard and have fun?

What an exhausting way to live.

Then it hit me, Edroar didn't eat crayons when he was a kid…he used them to build a wall. Stronger layers were added through the years until he was so well protected nothing could get in.

As his massage therapist it was my responsibility to relieve his tension, to lighten his load with my fingertips. How could I possibly be expected to do my job properly if I couldn't get close enough to even touch him?

My mission was clear, I had to put a chip in his armor, maybe if I offered his inner cub a cookie he'd come out to play.

After all…who doesn't like cookies?

* * *

 **A/N** : Next up…New York, a full chapter of Edroar and Bella. Oh, the possibilities. Hmm…wonder if her mission will be a success. Is it wise to feed a wild animal? What kind of cookie might a lion like?

 **HUGE LOVE** to the absolutely amazing AgoodWitch. She kept me writing when my brain was pure mush…which sadly is most of the time. Mandy, the sassy flight attendant, in this chapter is based on her. How'd you like them maracas?

 **Fun Fact:** 5Point is not only Angela's Kryptonite but can also be found in the incredible fic  _Just one of the Boys_ by the highly talented Tkegl. We did a mini crossover. So fun! It's a must read. You'll laugh your ass off for sure.

 **Update schedule:**  Good Lord, do I wish I had one. I promise to write as fast as my little pea brain possibly can.

 **That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think…..it's my kryptonite.


	10. THE BOX

**A/N** : Hi everybody…hope you're ready for some New York Lion. I whipped this chapter out at warp speed for a turtle writer like me. So I won't delay a minute longer. Meet you down below.

 **Happymess:**  YOU are my light source.

 **Caro2lalala** **& Djsmommie: ** Thanks for helping this spazz out.

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that streaks through Twitter. *

 

* * *

_**I don't want you, but I hate to lose you. You've got me in between the devil and the deep blue sea.** _

_**-** _ **Ella Fitzgerald**

* * *

"Welcome back, Sir," a distinguished older gentleman with a posh English accent greeted us at the door. "Ms. Swan," he added smoothly, making my name sound so elegant.

Edroar nodded his head as he swiftly walked past him, without so much as glancing his way.

Warmly I smiled at the man. "Hi, I'm Bella." I waved.

"Welcome, Ms. Bella." He bowed.

I chuckled at how formal he was being, like a butler. Then I realized…he was a butler. They really existed. At least in this world they did. When Alice told me Edroar had a penthouse named Chetwin I imagined it as an ostentatious luxury apartment.

I was wrong.

It was two floors of an ostentatious luxury apartment building.

Of course I hadn't seen all of it, hardly any of it really, but the top two buttons in the elevator were engraved with the Cullen logo. I snorted at the sight of them earning an irate glare from the Lion standing next to me.

After four heated phone calls in the limo he was more than a bit testy.

Not having a clue as to where to go I stood still a few moments just soaking in the magnificence of the grand entrance. The butler had run off after the Tyrant and I was left to my own devices.

Before I even took a step I heard a chiming noise directly behind me. I spun around and found it was coming from a computer screen embedded in the wall next to the front door.

My nosey feet made their way over to the display. It was blinking the word lobby on the monitor. Suddenly, a man's face filled the screen.

"Jenks, the courier is on his way up," the strange man's voice rang out loudly causing me to flinch.

"Hello?" I said to the screen.

But he was gone. I didn't dare press any of the buttons that surrounded the display. Instead I went to find Edroar, hurriedly walking though the spacious foyer. It led directly into a massive living area, stunningly beautiful. No surprise there. Though I was quite surprised to find how unique the layout was.

There was a distinct Greek vibe about the place. It was mystical and enchanting, not at all stuffy and cold as I imagined it would be. Panoramic glass walls revealed a view of Manhattan so strikingly picturesque it seemed unreal. My nose was just itching to flatten against it.

"Mr. Cullen?" I yelled into the empty space. I kept walking. "Jenks?" I called out, assuming that was the butler's name.

Silence

I snooped around a bit, calling out their names as I did so, but it was as though they had vanished, which wasn't unfathomable, since the place was designed like a labyrinth.

The courier was most likely coming to deliver the documents the Lion threw a fit over in the limo. I could only imagine the epic hissy Edroar would have if he didn't get that delivery, so I quickly headed back to the foyer.

When I reached the entranceway Jenks was standing there all prim and proper. How the hell he got back there without passing me I had no idea.

He was just opening the front door as I entered the room.

As he stepped away from the door I nearly fell over. Standing before me was a familiar face. He was holding a bicycle helmet in one hand and a large manila envelope in the other.

His hair was much different than I remembered but I'd know those glassy, blood shot, eyes anywhere.

"FUCK ME!" he shouted, as his eyes landed on my face.

Jenks gasped, thoroughly appalled by his crude greeting, but I wasn't surprised in the least. The boy didn't have an ounce of couth in him.

As a matter of fact, the multitude of mind altering drugs he indulged in on a regular basis was usually all that could be found in him at any given moment. He wasn't a bad guy. Believe it or not he was a gifted artist, which was what drew me to him when we first met.

I was always a sucker for a creative mind.

Oh, Tyler, what on earth was he doing in that doorway? We actually dated a few months before I realized I needed someone on the same celestial plane I was.

Vaguely I recalled hearing he moved to New York not long after we broke up, but I hadn't talked to him in nearly a year and now there he stood. Wasn't Manhattan filled with millions of people? Seriously, what were the odds to such a thing?

"Hey Ty," I waved. "Your hair is um…blue." It had at least two different shades of vibrant blue in it. Somehow it fit him perfectly.

He ruffled his hair. "Yeah, it represents water. Hair is a lot like the ocean. You know?" He looked from me to Jenks and back again.

My laughter spilled out as I took in the baffled expression on Jenks face. "What are you doing here?" I asked while walking closer to the door.

"Man, I wish I knew," he tilted his chin sideways. "Does anyone really know why they're here?" He pondered that thought deeply a few moments before his mouth dropped open. "Heavenly tits…it's you." His voice was filled with amazement.

A spark of brown flashed beneath the redness of his eyes. Something big was brewing. Tyler Crowley was many things…hard to read wasn't one of them.

"FUCK ME!" he exclaimed, even louder this time. "You're my muse."

He nearly knocked over poor Jenks in his haste to get to me.

Ty flung his lean, but muscular body across mine. "I had a vision last Saturday night," he whispered in my ear. "A beautiful voice told me my muse was coming." His fingers clung to me for dear life.

I fought hard not to fall over, Tyler was thin, but he was also well over six feet tall.

"What is the meaning of this?" An angry voice growled from behind me.

Somehow I managed to untangle Ty's body from mine and step back. My clothing was completely disheveled and my right shoe had fallen off in the struggle.

The Tyrant stormed into the room like a demon, his intense green eyes accessing the situation before him. I smoothed out my shirt and hair as Tyler stood there gazing at me in awe.

"Ms. Swan," Edroar looked me over carefully. "Did he harm you?"

I shook my head. "No, not at all, he was just...uh, excited to see me."

His eyes shot over to Tyler. "Explain yourself," he demanded.

"Bella is my muse," Tyler stated as though it were a simple fact.

The Lion did not look pleased.

"Actually, I know Tyler, he used to live in Seattle," I interrupted in an attempt to break the tension. "He was so shocked to see me that he got a bit carried away." I grabbed my shoe and slipped it back on.

Ty's eyes darted over to mine. "I wasn't carried away. I was carried in…to you. It's destiny. You're my Goddess of Light. I always knew it. Just when I needed your energy the most you appeared," he dropped down to his knees. "I need you tonight," he begged.

I rolled my eyes at his crazy theatrics. He was always very eccentric, but equally kind. The guy didn't have a mean bone in his body.

"I'm here on business, Tyler. It's been great seeing you though," my tone was soft, but dismissive.

He grabbed my hand like a lifeline and looked up at me pleadingly. "Come to The Box tonight. It's my premiere show. Without you there it will be a dark vortex of endless pain."

I exhaled deeply as I pushed him away. "Stop being so dramatic, your show will be amazing no matter who's there."

He shook his head vehemently. "I'm not having a show unless you're there. It's kismet. This morning I scratched a note in my bathroom door as a reminder to call you tomorrow for your birthday, but now I won't need to because here you are…my savior."

The boy leaned down and kissed my foot.

Kissed it.

Who does that?

Damn that pill popping Smurf. How could I say no to him? It wasn't like I had plans and honestly I didn't know anyone else in New York. Plus, it was a sure bet whatever his show was it would be incredible, he was a brilliant artist.

I let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, I'll be there. What time?"

He jumped up and grabbed me, pulling me flat against his chest in a crushing hug before releasing me.

"Show starts at midnight…if you're there, 189 Chrystie Street. I've got to get back to my studio. You've got my juices flowing." He tossed me the manila envelope and darted out the door.

Edroar walked over to the door and slammed it shut. "You're not seriously considering going out with that maniac?" He threw a disgusted look over his shoulder.

I nodded as I handed him the envelope. "He's not a maniac he's just a little eccentric, but completely harmless." A light bulb suddenly went off above my head. "Hey, why don't you come with me? We'll have fun." Perhaps I found the cookie I was searching for.

He snorted obnoxiously. "I highly doubt that. I can only imagine the type of place a low life like him would fester." His nose was in the air.

My feet moved closer to him. "Ty is not a low life. He's a gifted artist I'll have you know."

For some reason this enraged him.

"You're not going. I forbid it," the words dripped off his tongue venomously.

My mouth hung open. "You forbid it? You can't be serious." The man was insane.

His eyes firmly held mine. "This is not a joke, Ms. Swan. I won't have you flitting around New York City at all hours of the night with a mentally unstable drug addict. When you're here with me you represent my company at all times," he spoke in his most commanding tone.

"What I do in my private time is none of your concern." A lone finger shot up in the air. "You do not own me, Mr. Cullen."

In one swift move he was dangerously close to me, so close that his tightly pursed lips grazed the tip of my extended finger.

Lion's breath burned like fire, it brushed across my skin, causing the fine hairs at the base of my neck to stand at attention, like tiny soldiers preparing for battle.

"Why must you always push me?" A low growl underlined each word he spoke.

I sensed a roar coming on and was ashamed to admit it thrilled me.

My eyes lingered on his fury filled face as I contemplated my response. "You give me no choice," the faint quiver in my voice startled me. Suddenly my thoughts were scrambled. The room was closing in on all sides.

Damn it... that bastard was trying to frazzle me.

He shook his head. "Untrue. You always have a choice, but there are consequences for your actions," he warned.

There was a heavy silence as I pulled myself from his trap.

I lowered my hand, placing it on my hip. "Just my actions, are there no consequences for yours?"

His body stiffened. "Yes," he admitted before looking away, "Deep consequences." An unguarded frown appeared on his face.

Raw pain polluted his angelic features. Darkness engulfed his light, black as night, cold as ice, it surrounded him…imprisoned him. It made me ache. My body was highly responsive to his pain, it felt like my own and I had no idea why.

Not that I was a heartless person, but I'd spent plenty of time around emotionally wounded people and not once had I felt that level of empathy.

How bizarre.

I let out a frustrated sigh. "Why can't you ever just let go and have fun? You know there are consequences for not taking time to enjoy your life."

He was silent a few moments before his torment laden eyes found mine. "If hanging around a spaced out courier is your idea of fun I'd rather pay the consequences," he barked, angrily.

My eyes rolled at his stubborn attitude. The man was utterly impossible. What made me think I could ever get through to him?

I swiped the air before me. "Fine, whatever, stay here and drown in your gloom. You know most situations have the potential for fun…if you let it." I'd read that in a greeting card, but it was true.

He didn't respond, he just stared at me menacingly, causing me to sigh in defeat.

A quick glance over my shoulder revealed a statuesque looking Jenks standing expressionlessly at the door.

I turned to face him. "Could you show me where my room is?" I asked, sweetly.

He bowed at my request. "Of course, Ms. Bella, follow me." He bowed again to Edroar before walking past us.

It was the strangest ritual, probably some sort of neurotic tic, had to be hell on his back, the poor guy.

I didn't even glance at the Lion before leaving the room. What a fool I was for thinking I could put a chip in his armor…and with a cookie of all things. Must have been all those damn episodes of the Brady Bunch I watched growing up.

No issue ever lasted more than thirty minutes and it wasn't uncommon for your entire family to sing the problem away in perfect harmony.

Does it get any better than that?

Perhaps I'd been using the wrong show for inspiration…Lost would be a much better fit because I seriously had no idea what the hell was going on with that maddening Fat Cat.

He was a complicated man that much was clear. I couldn't help but wonder if Edroar were stranded on that crazy island…what would be found in his flashbacks?

* * *

The scowl wasn't easily swiped from my face as I followed Jenks to my room. My pig headed boss thoroughly frustrated me, but I did my best to brush it off, determined not to let him rain on my parade.

Tyler was definitely a freak.

Hell, even freaks found him unusual. Most people just weren't comfortable around such an abnormal creature. I understood that.

Edroar's close mindedness didn't bother me nearly as much as his audacity to think he could forbid me from going to Ty's premiere…or anywhere for that matter. Just the gall of it angered me so much that I fought the urge to track his tyrant ass down and dive in for round two.

What a crazy situation, I was torn between wanting to simultaneously attack and save the man. It was completely irrational. No wonder I was frazzled around him. Just when I thought he might let me in he slammed the door in my face.

My body stilled as I refocused my attention on the moment at hand. Quietly I took in my surroundings. The ethereal structure and distinct character that was Chetwin could not easily be described. That stuffy old name certainly didn't do it any justice.

It was an exceptional architectural masterpiece in my opinion.

After walking down several long winding hallways, Jenks stopped in front of a wide set of double doors.

"Your chambers, Ms. Bella," the Bobbing Butler announced before opening the doors, he stepped aside and bowed at me.

Chambers, I chuckled at the word. Really, what century was the man from?

"Thanks." I bowed back. I just couldn't resist.

He scowled disapprovingly at my action. "I hope it is to your liking."

Upon stepping into the room I may have had a mild orgasm. A slight groan left my lips. It wasn't at all the opulent display of sickening wealth I expected it to be.

"Your belongings have been placed away for you," he advised in his dignified accent. "Please summon Carmen if you should require anything at all."

"Carmen?" I asked, as my eyes scanned the room in awe.

He didn't respond, instead he walked over to a touch screen on the wall right next to the bed. He pointed to the name Carmen. "Press here and she'll arrive in minutes."

My face scrunched up a little as I stared at the screen. It looked like a glorified iPad with far too many bells and whistles for me to even comprehend at that moment.

I nodded my head. "Uh...okay, thanks."

He bowed, of course, and then stiffly made his way out of the room.

The idea that someone went through my luggage was more than a bit unnerving to me. I snooped around and found my clothing neatly organized in the walk in closet, which was twice the size of my bedroom in Seattle.

How ridiculous.

Never was I the type of girl that worried about what to wear. You wouldn't find me staring into my closet in deep thought like most women might do before a night out.

But honestly, I had no idea how to dress for Ty's show.

After contemplating my options several moments my inner rock star suddenly emerged…and she was looking to play.

So, with a devious grin I grabbed my black leather mini dress. Ange said it was my most dangerous article of clothing. I laughed at how worried she looked anytime I wore it.

The dress was form fitting and strapless with tiny studs decorating the hemline.

Jasper called it my whoop ass dress…because that's exactly what he ended up doing to the dirty boys that wouldn't take no for an answer whenever I had it on. Not that I couldn't take care of them myself, I could, but Jazz was the ultimate bad ass big brother. That boy would throw it down before I even blinked.

Normally, I'd wear my red converse sneakers for optimum comfort, but instead my eyes landed on the only pair of heels I owned.

I found them at a vintage thrift shop around the corner from my apartment. The sight of them was about as close as I'd ever come to squealing over a pair of god damn shoes.

I didn't, of course, but I may have discretely yelped when I first held them in my hands.

It was rare that I wore them, but New York was a special occasion in my book. Hell, I was turning twenty-five in just a few hours. The reasons just went on and on in my mind.

Tonight was going to be memorable.

I could just feel it.

* * *

By ten o'clock I was showered, dressed and ready to go. Surprisingly, I spent some time on my hair, straightening it before putting it up in a high ponytail.

I even applied a little makeup.

Charcoal eyes and light shimmering lip gloss was as far as I went. I cringed at chicks that wore loads of makeup. It looked so uncomfortable. I always wanted to scrub their faces and see what lurked beneath all that goop.

My hand cupped my mouth as I spotted my reflection in the full length mirror.

I never considered myself sexy, not that I cared. I didn't spend much time thinking about the way I looked. Sex appeal certainly wasn't something I placed any value on. But as I stood there in that moment…I felt sexy. Not in a cheap bimbo sort of way. It was more of a 'Damn it feels good to be a woman' realization.

There was strength to femininity that I sensed I strongly underestimated. Was there more to sex appeal than I had previously thought?

Intrigued by the concept I decided to explore the idea.

As I made my way across the room I noticed a subtle change in my movements. It was the most peculiar thing. The new sexier me moved seductively, it wasn't a conscious decision. It just felt natural.

How odd.

I smirked wickedly at my new found ability. Perhaps twenty-five was going to be a year of self discovery for me.

As I strutted my sexy ass down the hall the sound of my killer shoes on the marble floor echoed loudly. I rounded several corners before realizing I was lost.

"Shit!" I huffed in frustration.

It would be just my luck to spend the entire night wandering around aimlessly in the Lion's labyrinth. I walked in circles grumbling under my breath for what felt like hours. There were so many doors that led to hallways filled with more doors.

For Christ's sake it was pure madness. I tried calling out for help, but all I got in response was silence. Roaming abandoned halls singing  _Swing Low Sweet Chariot_ was not at all how I imagined my first night in New York.

Just as I was about to give up and pop a squat I heard a distant noise coming from behind one of the doors. Darting over to it, I plastered my ear up real close. It was muffled, but I definitely heard a voice.

"Oh thank God!" I shouted as my fists pounded manically on the hard surface.

I turned the knob, but it was locked.

"HELP! I'M LOST!" I called at the top of my lungs, still banging on the unyielding barrier.

"Go away!" came a distinctive growl from the other side of the door.

"Edroar," I whispered to myself bitterly. I started kicking the sturdy blockade with force. "Open this damn door right now!" I demanded.

He didn't respond. I waited a few moments before putting my ear to the door once again, but this time heard nothing.

Damn that stubborn tyrant. I clenched my fists tightly and pounded on the door with all my might, calling him an assortment of very colorful words while doing so.

Still no response came.

I huffed and puffed, completely out of breath. My knuckles throbbed, my blood boiled and my voice was getting hoarse from all the shouting.

I lifted my leg and for some odd reason thought it was a good idea to smash my knee against the thick, wooden door. It only took a second for me to realize my mistake.

It was a second too late.

After letting out an ear piercing howl I dropped to the floor in agony. Then laid there whimpering like a baby.

It hurt like a bitch.

Suddenly the door swung open. Footsteps made their way to my side. It was the Lion. He lifted me off the floor in one quick movement.

"Put me down!" I yelled.

He ignored my request. Instead of putting me down he carried me through the door and into the room.

My best friend smelled like tobacco and cinnamon, but Edroar…his scent was unique. I sniffed the air under his chin, definitely masculine, fresh and clean, but there was something…more.

I sniffed again…ah, it was danger. There was a tinge of untamed danger to that Lion's aroma. My nose was nearly flat against his throat as I inhaled deeply, trying to wrap my brain around that dangerous smell of his.

It was faint, but unmistakable.

Then I felt softness. I hadn't even realized my eyes were closed until that moment. The second he placed me down I also felt searing pain. How strange that I hadn't felt a thing as he carried me.

Slowly I lifted my head, my eyes fluttered open. I was lying on an extremely plush mattress. Not only was it plush, but the bed itself was a work of art. Long silk curtains draped along the sides of the massive structure.

The bedroom was dimly lit, only the light from an adjourning room illuminated my surroundings, but I could tell immediately this room was even more amazing than my…chambers.

I really didn't think that was possible.

Before I could say a word he was gone. As I sat up I brought my hands to my face, sighing as I examined the damage I inflicted upon myself. My knuckles were slightly swollen, but I'd had worse. I raised my knee closer to my face, a little red, but not puffy or bruised.

I poked at it and yelped in pain. "Stupid door," I grumbled.

"Untrue," a velvety voice entered the room. "My door is quite intelligent as far as doors go." I felt his smirk. I didn't need to see it.

"I suppose you're going to tell me this is my fault?" My tone was a few octaves higher than any human voice should go.

"No, I figured that would be obvious," he sniped from across the room.

And then there was light.

The abrupt change caused my eyes to squint. He was at my side by the time I focused properly, standing directly over me with an odd look on his face.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned by his serious expression.

He glanced away a moment before turning back to me. "I just…why are you dressed that way?"

My brow furrowed. "Dressed what way?" I looked down and saw my dress…my whoop ass dress.

Did he like it?

He raked his fingers through his thick, bronze hair. "You look so…different." He kept glancing away from me and back again. It was totally unlike him to be so flustered.

"Well, it's not something I'd wear to work." I laughed. "Do you like it?" I had no idea why I cared.

Searing, green lasers roamed the entire length of my body, piercing my skin with their heat, such a powerful sensation feeling his eyes on me in that way.

His jaw tightened. "Not if you plan on going out with that ridiculous lunatic looking like that."

"Ty is not a lunatic." I folded my arms. "He's just a little eccentric…because of his immense talent."

He shot me a nasty glare. "You really need to raise your standards, Ms. Swan. It's pathetic how easily you're impressed." He scowled with disgust as he reached for something on the table beside me.

My brow rose. "Really, how high should I raise them Mr. Cullen?" I matched his glare. "Because I find it pathetic that you're only impressed with yourself."

The air around us thickened immediately, electrifying my senses with a staggering amount of tension. It was palpable. I was headed into dangerous waters, I knew that, but I just couldn't stop swimming.

The tyrant's upper lip curled. "Are you suggesting I lower my standards?" He placed his hand on my wounded knee.

Instantly my body shivered from the coldness of the ice he pressed against my sensitive skin. I bit down on my lip, a simple ice pack, yet it felt amazing.

"Yes," I uttered, softly.

He wasn't looking at my face. His eyes were tightly focused on my knee, but I nodded my head at him regardless.

"How low?" he was speaking to my legs.

I swallowed thickly. "Excuse me?" my voice was strained.

Dark eyes found mine. "How low should I go, Ms. Swan?" he seemed hesitant.

"Come with me," I blurted out, far louder than necessary, attempting to speak over my thunderous heartbeat.

"Come with you," his silky voice flowed smoothly.

I nodded my head slowly, this time he was watching.

"Yes, I want you to come with me." I couldn't fight off a grin. "To Tyler's show," I added hearing the eagerness in my voice, talk about pathetic.

Confusion filled his features. "Why on earth would I do such a thing?"

"You asked how low I wanted you to go. I'd like to start there. I'm sure it's way beneath your standards," which made it exactly where I wanted him to be. A large part of my job was helping him learn to unwind. Getting Edroar to Tyler's show would be an amazing first step.

A scowl swept across his face. "You can't be serious."

My hand covered his on my knee. I paused, my eyes on his intently. "I'm very serious," lifting his fingers I tossed the heavenly ice pack aside, "Unless…you're too afraid to go." I smirked.

Edroar smiled at my words. "Is that supposed to be a threat?" the melodic sound of his laughter surprised me. It was so pleasant, almost boyish. "A bit juvenile wouldn't you say?"

I shrugged. "Perhaps. Did it work?" My face broke into a wide grin.

"Definitely not," he said, firmly.

Unaffected by his words I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and jumped down. My knee was feeling well enough. I glanced at the clock, it was quarter after eleven.

Time to go.

I started for the door, glancing back at the Tyrant midway across the room.

"Come with me. I know you want to," my voice was light and playful.

He shook his head stubbornly. "No."

I sighed impatiently. "Maybe you should change into something more comfortable before we go. Do you even have something more comfortable?" A vision of him sleeping in his designer suit caused me to break into a fit of giggles.

He glared at me angrily. "Get out!"

I stomped over to him. "Why must you be so difficult?"

He moved in closer, a menacing look on his face. "Why must you be so impossible?"

We stood there glaring at each other for quite some time.

"I'm not impossible." I said breaking the silence. "As a matter of fact I'd be willing to compromise…if you are." I baited him.

"I'm listening." He continued glaring at me.

Of course I hadn't actually come up with a compromise before offering it, so I had to make one up as I went along.

"Well…if you don't like it there we can leave and do something you enjoy…like counting money or yelling at people." Honestly, I wasn't trying to be obnoxious, I just had no idea what appealed to the man.

He was amused by my offer. I could see it in his eyes.

I raised a finger in the air. "But, we can't leave until Tyler starts his show. That's the deal. Take it or leave it." My arms folded, affirming my statement.

"I'll leave it," he stated, bluntly. "I couldn't care less if that imbecile starts his show or not."

My throat let out a mangled growl. "You may not care…but I do. It's called a compromise for a reason. God, haven't you ever had to compromise with anyone before?" I yelled directly in his face.

Then I thought about it and realized he probably hadn't ever had to compromise with anyone in his life and no doubt liked it that way.

Why was I even trying to get through to such a person?

It was crazy. I was crazy.

He was silent as I stood there doubting my own sanity. Obviously I was wasting my time, that realization annoyed the living hell out of me.

"Oh forget it." I huffed. "I give up. Clearly, you're not capable of compromise." I threw my hands up in frustration as I stormed out of the room.

* * *

After leaving the Lion's lair I was so heated I plowed directly into poor Jenks as he quietly strolled the hall. It was a godsend really.

Lord knows I'd never find my way out of there on my own.

He offered to call Mr. Cullen's private chauffeur to escort me out for the night, but I politely declined. Limousines weren't my style.

As my boss pointed out…my standards were way lower than that.

I made it to the address Ty had given me with plenty of time to spare, thanks to the warp speed and erratic swerving ability of my insane taxi driver. Mentioning that I needed to get there quickly was definitely a mistake on my part.

After paying the crazy cabbie I glanced around at my surroundings. The street was lively, music and laughter floated in the air. Horns honking, people swearing, dogs barking, sirens blaring. Ah, New York…such a delicate flower.

The entrance to the place was covered in graffiti. I expected it to be a dive bar or perhaps an old, abandoned industrial space. It was neither. Seriously, it was like stepping back in time, way back in time…to the Victorian era.

The name of the place was The Box, and I could tell immediately that this particular box was filled with uninhibited mayhem.

A naked woman swung high above the bartenders' heads in a silver hoop. Naked ballerinas, naked aerialists and a naked man playing the violin entertained the crowd as they piled in through the inconspicuous little entrance.

Not that I was a prude, but damn there was a lot of naked going on around me. I could only imagine what Ty was going to add to the mix. The crowd was rowdy and a bit over friendly in my opinion, again, not a prude, but they were awfully touchy-feely with each other.

An orange tinted man in a powder blue tuxedo requested to see my ID. After handing him my driver's license I watched as he carefully examined it.

He smiled widely while handing it back to me. "Light of all that is good, I welcome you to The Box." His eyes had the same spaced out look as Ty's.

"Uh, thanks," I smiled back awkwardly.

Thankfully the flow of people pulled me away from the peculiar man at the door.

I headed straight to the bar for a much needed drink. It was almost midnight and suddenly the urge to ring my birthday in with a strong buzz seemed vital.

Damn it. I missed Jazz.

We always spent our birthdays together. He was right. I was alone in a strange place without a friend for hundreds of miles. Well there was Tyler, but he was always light years away so he didn't count. Just as I was about to order my drink a strange hand firmly cupped my…uh cooch. Instinctively my fist swung, hitting the cooch cupper square in the jaw.

He was the devil.

No, literally, the man was dressed as the devil. And not some cheap party store disposable costume either. The Satan standing before me was an elaborate detailed creation.

Lucifer rubbed his jaw. "Nice right hook, Legs." He winked flirtatiously.

"Fuck off, Perv," I snapped, hands on my hips.

Satan Laughed devilishly. "That's the plan sugar lips. I bet you like it rough, don't you?"

I smacked him across the face full force right before kneeing him in the groin. His steel covered groin.

Of course I used my bad knee and hit the floor seconds later.

The slew of heinous obscenities I shouted was drowned out by the chaotic crowd around me. Every time I tried standing up I was knocked back down by the oblivious party goers. Just as I was about to give up…an angel saved me.

Yes, literally, the chick was dressed as an angel. Equally elaborate was her costume. She wrapped me in her fluffy, white wings, shielding me from the rambunctious crowd while lifting me up from the floor.

"Thank you for helping me," I sputtered out gratefully.

Could the night get any weirder?

"It is my duty, Goddess." She replied, answering my unasked question.

Choosing to ignore her strange words, I held out my hand in greeting. "I'm Bella."

Her smile was radiant. "Yes, I know. We've been waiting for you. Come." She took my hand and guided me away from the bar.

As we walked past a cluster of red, velvet lined booths my view of center stage became clear. The Box must have been an old theater. Everything from the elaborate décor to the vintage wallpaper was remarkably restored.

"My savior!" a familiar voice yelled from behind me. "I knew you'd come." Tyler's arms were wide open.

I rolled my eyes, smiling despite myself. "Goddesses don't miss such things. It's in our code." My face was serious, but my laughter rang out seconds later.

He nodded in agreement and then turned his attention to the angel beside me. "Eleanor, you've found my muse." His eyes lingered over to me, as did hers.

"You're description made it easy." Her face tightened. "Unfortunately, Walter got to her first."

His smile dropped. "Cock snot!" he yelled in aggravation. "I warned him to stay away from her until after the show."

"Wait…you know that pervert?" I snapped at them, fully disgusted.

Ty nodded. "Yeah, he's a fucking animal, but Boo Boo won't perform without him."

"Boo Boo?" I asked, while noticing the lights dimming slightly.

"Yes, Boo Boo Pussycat." Eleanor said as though that should explain it all.

"What is that?" My voice lowered as the crowd hushed the moment the blue tuxedo man took to the stage.

Tyler glanced at his watch. "You'll find out very soon." He grabbed a half naked waitress as she walked by. "Irina, this is my muse." His hands cupped my face. "Give her anything she desires."

The stunning blonde smirked at his words. "Of course," her eyes landed on me. "What do you desire, Muse?" Her thick Russian accent made the word sound more like mouse, or at least I thought it was from the accent.

"Alabama Slammer please," I said without thinking, probably unwise, but it was my favorite party drink.

The room filled with a zesty upbeat melody. A full orchestra had somehow snuck in, their sound was unmistakable. Eleanor grabbed my hand, pulling me into a booth to the left of the bar. The orange faced man, still at center stage, danced around to the infectious beat.

When the music softened he clapped his hands exuberantly to which the crowd quickly followed. My drink arrived moments later and I found myself eagerly pouring it down my throat.

Eleanor softly chuckled at my side. "Somebody's thirsty," she noted with a sweet smile.

"Not really," I smiled back. "Just looking for a buzz." It was the truth.

Even though my best friend was far far away I still felt compelled to ring in my personal new year feeling a bit tipsy…alright a lot tipsy.

If you're gonna do it do it right.

Irina was quite the attentive waitress, my glass was never empty. She even brought over a plate of cookies for us to snack on. As the liquor overtook my senses so did the acts on the stage. They were all erotic in nature, an artistically opulent den of sin.

Eleanor watched over me protectively, which I teased her about relentlessly. Tyler had disappeared, most likely getting ready for his performance. Glancing down at the cookies on the table I noticed they were also erotic in nature. I snickered at the assortment of naughty little shapes.

As I munched away on a perfectly formed penis, tuxedo man took to the stage once again.

His arms waved around theatrically. "And now…my greedy little minions" he announced into the microphone. "I present to you a collaboration conceived in heaven, but born in hell."

The crowd immediately went wild, and for an already rambunctious group of people that was saying a lot.

A spicy jazz number swirled through the air as a beautiful woman was lowered to the stage on a giant sea anchor. It took a few seconds for me to recognize the song.

It was one of Ty's favorites.

I turned to ask Eleanor if this was Tyler's performance, but she was gone. At that precise moment a heavenly sound filled the theater. Eleanor was on stage singing…and she had the voice of an angel.

The beautiful woman hopped off the anchor with finesse. The crowd began chanting 'Boo Boo!" She smiled seductively and blew them a kiss.

She moved like a siren.

Intoxicated by the bewitching energy she gave off…and the generous amount of alcohol I consumed, I found myself floating closer. There was a crowd of people that had gathered at the foot of the stage to worship her, they welcomed me in. It felt lovely.

We swayed in unison, so free, and uninhibited. If only I could bottle that feeling. I never wanted it to end. My eyes wandered the room slowly, oh it was so out of control, on some level I saw that, yet I couldn't stop myself from dancing and laughing, I was giggling like a child.

Then I felt it.

His eyes, they were on me…that much I was sure of. There was no other feeling like it.

I broke away from the human cocoon I was embedded in and drifted around aimlessly searching through countless faces until I spotted him. Even in a darkened theater his emerald green eyes blazed brightly, strongly declaring his presence.

He stood at the bar watching me intently.

Seconds later I was standing before him. "You're here." I stated in awe, staring up at him as though he might vanish at any moment.

"That makes one of us." He noted dryly. "How much have you had to drink?" He wasn't happy. He was never happy.

"It's my birthday," I retorted. "I'm celebrating."

"I can see that," he glared, disapprovingly. "Ms. Swan, I-"

My finger landed on his lips, effectively silencing him. Slowly I shook my head from side to side.

"Did you come all this way to scold me?" Knowing him he probably did.

He scowled irritably. "No, but now that I'm here it's unavoidable."

"So why are you here?" Truthfully, I was confused by how delighted I was to see him.

His jaw tightened. "You said I was incapable of compromise." He huffed at my gall. "That is untrue."

"Oh, yeah." My smirk was fiendish. "Prove it."

"I'm here aren't I?" He glanced around impatiently, thoroughly repulsed by his surroundings.

"You are." I agreed. It was a huge first step and I didn't' want to argue with him. "Come have a drink with me and if you don't want to stay we can go, alright?" my smile was sincere.

He contemplated my offer a moment before reluctantly nodding his head. Since the crowd was so thick I grabbed hold of his hand as I led him over to my booth.

Just as we sat down Irina appeared. "Welcome to The Box," her eyes devoured the Lion shamelessly. "What do you desire tonight, Handsome?"

"Scotch on the rocks." Edroar replied curtly, barely glancing her way.

"I'll have another Slammer," I called out as she walked away. "Thanks for asking," I added obnoxiously.

The Tyrant stood out like a sore thumb as he sat there with his perfectly tailored suit, angry eyes and ruffled bronze hair. I picked up a cookie from the plate and held it up to his pursed lips.

He looked down at the treat and then his eyes grabbed mine.

"Take a bite." I ordered and to my surprise he complied.

The cookie was a remarkable mini replica of a female breast, with a bright red cherry at the center. I held his penetrating stare as he bit down into the flesh colored pastry.

He liked it. I saw a spark of pleasure cross his features as he swallowed the first bite. I was so mesmerized by this that I hadn't even noticed Irina standing beside me with our drinks on a tray.

"Tasty titties, yes?" she asked suggestively.

He swallowed the rest of the cookie whole, entrancing both me and the damn waitress.

"Delicious." He licked the tips of his fingers.

"Mmm, a breast man," her smile was flirtatious. "There's plenty more where that came from." She placed down a fresh plate of goodies before walking away.

After grabbing myself a chocolate covered penis I focused my eyes on the stage. Tyler was up there with that Pussycat chick and the perverted devil.

Honestly, the woman was sex in heels, just pure sensuality. While I was busy with the Tyrant, Boo Boo had stripped down from her slinky sailor uniform into a retro, one piece nautical bustier.

Like a provocative panther she slinked across the stage using the boys as her willing prey.

Tyler's bright blue hair immediately caught my attention as did the matching electric blue harp he was masterfully playing. Say what you will, but the boy had talent.

His tan pants and aqua blue shirt gave him a serene look. However, it was Satan's hulking black wings that were the most striking of all. Though it killed me to admit it, he was a gifted dancer.

I tried to make sense of the performance, I really did, but I was totally baffled. Then it hit me, the song Eleanor was singing, Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, it was right there in front of me.

Literally.

Boo Boo was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea…also known as Walter the fucking animal and Tyler the spaced out Smurf. Just as I made that realization Ms. Pussycat pulled off her bustier revealing a pair of shimmering, sea blue nipple pasties with tiny anchor tassels.

Jesus, Mary and Joseph did that girl know how to toss her tassels.

Leave it to Ty to turn a whimsical jazz song into a peculiar burlesque performance. Based on the crowd's reaction it was a smashing success. That made me smile for him.

I felt so warm and well a bit sappy…which was totally unlike me. Slowly my gaze moved to the Lion sitting by my side. He was munching away on a boob cookie, eyes glued to the stage.

Oh yeah…definitely a breast man.

I snickered to myself. The irony that I actually fed him a cookie was not lost on me, although I would've never guessed it needed to be a freaking tit.

He turned to me with one brow lifted inquisitively. "Is something funny?"

"You," I held back a laugh.

"Me?" Confusion touched his features. He was holding a half eaten boob in his hand. Was he for real? Who wouldn't find that funny?

Laughter shot out of my mouth at an obnoxiously loud decibel.

Tears blotted my cheeks. "You like eating boobs." I snorted in his face. Good Lord, it was even funnier out loud.

Instantly, his eyes dropped down to my hands, which to my surprise each held a half eaten penis pastry. I should have been mortified by that, but it just made me laugh harder.

He moved in a little closer to me. "Do you need me to say it?" His smirk was downright scandalous.

My hips slid in closer to his. "Say what…" a grin erupted on my face, "that I like stuffing my mouth with sweet tasting-"

"Goddess!" Ty's deep voice interrupted me as he stood there beaming brightly.

Eleanor stood to his left, smiling her sweet smile, while Satan lurked to his right looking utterly demonic.

Like a true sex kitten Boo Boo abruptly pounced between her boys.

"You were amazing!" I shouted out to them from across the table.

"Everyone, this is my Muse, my Goddess, my savior." Ty pointed at me with pride.

My eyes rolled. "Oh please, I didn't' do anything but show up." I chuckled at his ridiculousness.

"That's all that was needed." Eleanor said kindly. "Sometimes a person's mere presence sparks deliverance." Oddly enough her eyes landed on Edroar.

"So true, Ellie," Boo Boo nodded. "A girl could go blind from all the sparks flying around our pretty little muse," as she spoke her perfect bow lips were impossible not to stare at.

"Thank you," I said feeling a bit awkward by the unwarranted praise. "It's my pleasure to be here."

"We have yet to meet your friend," Eleanor said sweetly, pointing out my rudeness.

"Oh, right. I'm sorry. This is Edward Cullen." I flailed my hands at him as though he were some sort of a museum exhibit.

He stiffened before giving a slight head nod to no one in particular. He came off as uninterested and aloof, which he probably was.

Yet something about his starchy demeanor made me wonder if perhaps he was uncomfortable in social situations and not just a snobby Fat Cat as I had originally thought.

"Tonight we celebrate the birth of my light source!" Tyler shouted out with conviction.

I hadn't a clue what he meant by that, but it seemed to rile up our group so I smiled along brightly.

Boo Boo looked from side to side. "I'd like to celebrate the birth of my drink source. Where the hell is the waitress?"

And just like that Irina appeared with a tray full of drinks…and just like that she re-appeared quite frequently thereafter.

To my surprise Edroar loosened up a bit as the night progressed. He had yet to actually speak to anyone other than me, but he hadn't requested we leave so I took that as a good thing.

The Tyrant actually seemed dare I say more laid back, almost relaxed, for him anyway. I kept stealing glances his way. He devoured nearly an entire plate of cookies, leaving only the penises behind, which I quickly polished off for him.

I hadn't eaten since lunch and was totally famished. Then I remembered Edroar didn't eat his lunch. Based on the way he was chowing down on the cookies it was a safe bet he hadn't eaten a thing all day.

A cheesy smile was soon plastered to my face and I felt a strong urge to hug everyone I saw, which was really strange because alcohol never made me warm and fuzzy like that.

New York liquor was no joke.

I looked at the Lion sitting beside me. He hadn't even finished his first drink, yet he seemed just as intoxicated as I was. His eyes were glassy and bloodshot, although it could have been from fatigue. It was very late.

Deeper into the night the mood of The Box became salacious. Discarded clothing was scattered all about. Boo Boo actually seemed a tad overdressed in her nautical pasties and g-string.

Random men bowed at her feet in adoration as she playfully swung her tassels. Oh yes, there was definitely power to sex appeal. Boo Boo was a masterful seductress and I among many was in awe of her.

"Man, there are a lot of ugly old bags here tonight." Walter noted as his eyes swept the room. "Look at that one," he pointed to a silver haired woman dancing freely on a table top. "Her tits are hanging lower than my cock," he laughed wickedly.

Eleanor glared at him. "There is beauty in every human being. The fact that you refuse to see it is the true essence of ugliness." She huffed, her pretty round face burning bright red.

"Bella has beautiful tits," Tyler stated casually, as though he were talking about my eyes.

"I bet she does," Walter smirked. "Whip those lovelies out for us, Legs." Walter hedged.

"She will do no such thing," growled the voice of the Lion. He lunged before I could even blink. His furious eyes stared the devil down.

"Oh, so he speaks," Walter said tauntingly. "I thought you were mute."

"Hardly," Edroar spat out, "I just refrain from speaking to primitive barbarians."

"Hell yeah I'm primitive," Walter grinned maliciously. "Just like you. I've got two basic needs, eating and fucking. Any man that says differently is a god damn liar."

Edroar's eyes became frighteningly dark. "Your vile existence is not comparable to civilized mankind in any manner."

He looked murderous. I'd never seen him so angry before and that was saying a lot. I thought I was pretty good at ruffling his fur, but apparently I was no match for the devil.

Boo Boo frowned at Satan. "Walter, apologize to Bella and her friend for being so disrespectful."

"Fuck no!" he yelled. "He called me uncivilized." Walter balked.

"You ARE uncivilized!" Eleanor, Ty and Boo Boo shouted at him in unison.

"Then why the fuck would I apologize?" he yelled back angrily. "That's not something uncivilized people do." His fists slammed down on the table before he stormed away.

Boo Boo rolled her eyes. "He's such a bad boy." She shook her head causing her shiny black hair to sway from side to side. "Please don't allow him to spoil your fun."

"Let us drink to the birth of our Goddess," Tyler announced exuberantly as he waved Irina over.

There were more drinks…and more cookies. I couldn't stop eating the little buggers, well penises to be exact. I left the boobs for my mammary gobbling boss.

Not long after that I began losing track of time.

My memory became a bit foggy, though I do recall giggling…a lot. It was as though I were watching a movie. Images flickered before my eyes and then disappeared in an instant.

Tyler playing his harp while I sang along with Eleanor, as Boo Boo danced seductively on our table for the crowd that had formed a large circle around us.

Edroar smiling and laughing at words I whispered in his ear. Good Lord, what was I saying to him? I floated in and out of reality for quite some time before finally gaining some control over my senses.

"I want to save you with my boobs," I whispered the words into the Lion's ear as though it were a secret.

He laughed and shook his head. "Save me. From what?" his smile was dazzling, it filled me with warmth.

"From yourself," I said sadly.

"With your boobs?" he looked confused, which I didn't understand. It made perfect sense to me.

"Yes, just like on the Brady Bunch," I explained as though it should have been obvious.

The Tyrant looked even more perplexed by that bit of information.

He closed his eyes briefly and then reopened them. "I've never seen that show, but it sounds fascinating." His gaze kept drifting away from me and up to the ceiling.

"It is fascinating." I agreed.

Hazy green irises found mine. "You're fascinating," he spoke so quietly I barely heard him.

"I thought I was pathetic?" Oh how I loved teasing the man.

He contemplated briefly and nodded. "Yes, your standards are beyond pathetic," his words were a bit slurred.

I smirked. "Well, now that you're here with me so are yours."

He ran both hands through his unruly mess of hair while slowly exhaling a deep breath. "I shouldn't be here."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Don't worry, slumming it for one night isn't going to defile your precious upper class breeding."

He snorted resentfully. "There was nothing precious about my breeding." His lips moved in closer to mine with each word he spoke.

Warm cookie breath swept across my face, I inhaled the sweet scent. He was so close to me, our lips practically touching. The sound of our heavy breathing filled my ears.

My eyes ran over his face inquisitively.

His cheeks were bright pink. Lashes that looked like black lace framed the exotic shape of his torment filled eyes. A battle was raging in them and I wanted to know why.

Smoothly his tongue ran across his bottom lip, causing it to glisten. "Tell your boobs I'm not worthy." It was a firm statement.

I lifted my hand up to his face. "It's alright. You don't have to be a Brady." I said with sincerity. "Just show me your flashbacks so I can get you off the island."

His brow furrowed in confusion, which caused mine to do the same. What didn't he understand? How much clearer could I possibly be?

My fingertips softly brushed along the length of his jaw. His skin was on fire. He was burning up.

The Lion's eyelids became very heavy. He was struggling hard to keep them open. His mossy green gaze was completely spaced out…just like Tyler and the Orange man. It was worse actually and that fact scared the living hell out of me.

"I don't feel good," his words were so garbled I could barely make them out.

Edroar's head swiftly dropped onto my bosom. He was mumbling incoherently, though I did hear the word beautiful quite clearly.

Oddly enough he was talking to my breasts.

I glanced down at his half empty glass of scotch. How did he get so wasted? My mind was a bit fuzzy but I didn't recall him drinking very much at all. I looked down at the cookie crumbs scattered all over our table.

Why couldn't I focus? Damn that crazy New York liquor.

That shit was potent.

My eyes searched through the darkened room for a familiar face. Good Lord, the atmosphere at The Box had gone from wild to perverse.

Tyler was eagerly licking Boo Boo's bare feet, which were perched on top of the bar like a meal for him. She sat on a stool holding a bright red leash in her hands. I followed it to the floor and found a very disgruntled looking Walter sitting on all fours, like a dog. He really was a fucking animal.

Quietly I called upon the holy family not knowing what else to do.

The next thing I knew Eleanor was at my side. "Oh dear, is everything alright?" she sounded paralyzed with worry.

"No, not really," my eyes squinted as I tried focusing on her white form.

Edroar was still mumbling into my boobs, talking to them in some unknown language.

"We're not used to New York liquor," I slurred profusely.

My words weren't coming out right at all and my damn eyelids were closing without my consent. I struggled hard to keep them open but it was a losing battle.

Eleanor cleared her throat nervously. "I think perhaps it was the space cakes that you're not used to my Goddess."

Her sweet voice was the last thing I heard before blacking out.

* * *

 **A/N** : Uh oh…Lion down! Up next: More from New York. Can Bella's boobs save Edroar? How low should that Tyrant go? How low will Jenks go before he needs a chiropractor?

**Fun Fact** **:** The Box is real. I found it while researching this chapter and now my hubby is planning to go there (link on profile). Looks like a mighty good time. Just please…beware of Russian waitresses baring naughty treats.

**Funnier fact:**  Boo Boo Pussycat is created in honor of my beloved beta Happymess…and uh, Walter and Eleanor in honor of the two puppies she cares for.

**Slurpy Kisses** to AgoodWITCH for inspiring me with her heartwarming tale of being cooch cupped. She's an incredibly talented writer so please check out her fics. Her Edwards are seriously swoon worthy.

**Pictures** of Tyler and Boo Boo Pussycat are on my blog so please take a quick look see.

**That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think…it fascinates me.


	11. How Hard Could It Be?

**A/N:** Hi guys! I've returned from the small pile of poo I was stuck under these last few months. I'm showered and ready to get back to business. Edroar will not wait a minute longer to get to his readers…so if you're still out there I'll meet you down below.

**Happymess:**  My super magical ninja beta, I will swim across the ocean to get to you.

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that needs massive therapy. *

 

* * *

_**I picture your face at the back of my eyes, A fire in the attic, a proof of the prize! Anna Molly, Anna Molly, Anna Molly.**_

_**-Incubus, Anna Molly**_

* * *

Darkness was all around me—no shapes or shadows—just an endless sea of black. It took a few moments for me to realize my eyes were closed. That calmed me, until I discovered they wouldn't open no matter how hard I tried.

Someone must have sealed them shut.  _How cruel._

Everything was wet and sticky. There was movement, too much movement. A garbled noise filled my ears. Actually, it was more of a groan. My thoughts were a jumbled mess and I was pretty sure my head was lying in a puddle.

Not good.

I was so disoriented. My body felt like dead weight, it was so heavy. With great effort I finally forced my eyes to slowly creep open. My vision was quite fuzzy, but I could still make out the night sky around me.

The left side of my face was stuck to a soft bed of thick, bronze hair. How odd. Yet even more odd was the fact that I was immersed in a gooey puddle of my own drool.

The groaning noise continued to fill my ears. Was it me? No, it couldn't be. My mouth was too full of hair and saliva to make such a clear sound.

Several times I attempted to lift my head, but it just wasn't happening. So I tried my arms. They seemed to be working just fine. I used them to feel around and quickly discovered a body attached to the hair in my mouth, it was lying on me.

More like smothering me, really.

Being that my arms were my only working body part I continued using them to feel around. I poked and prodded the mystery body that covered mine.

The groans grew louder.

Unsuccessfully I tried raising my head again, but my neck simply wasn't working. I grabbed the top of my ponytail and used it to lift my head with one hand.

With my eyes barely open I took in the image of the Lion sprawled out across me like a blanket, face flat against my chest. He was moaning and groaning so loudly he must have been awake.

Using my free hand I poked his shoulder. "Mr. Cullen," I attempted to say, but coughed up a hair ball instead.

As I hacked and gagged, his drool covered head bounced around on my chest like a bobble toy.

My eyes slowly wandered the perimeter. We were in a limo. His I assumed. When I tried looking out the window my head abruptly dropped.

The Tyrant's glassy, dilated eyes looked up at me precisely as my face crashed down onto his with a hard thump. That shit should have hurt, but I didn't even feel it.

His warm breath trickled up my nostrils, tickling my nose hairs, causing me to giggle.

"Silence," he commanded in a garbled growl.

He struggled to untangle himself from me, grumbling in frustration. After several long minutes he sighed in defeat, only managing to lean the side of his face against the soft leather seat above my shoulder.

How strange to see Edroar's usually graceful movements so off kilter. He completely missed his forehead several times while trying to touch the reddened spot at the center of it.

Mr. High Standards was totally out of sorts, it was bizarre to say the least. Not that I was faring much better.

I was a train wreck, for Christ's sake. Sadly, that wasn't unheard of for me. My boss's perfectly tailored, fine Italian suit, was fully disheveled, buttons missing, tie crooked and shirt half untucked.

My eyes roamed over my own state of being. It appeared as though my leather mini dress held up quite nicely from what I could see, nothing torn or missing.

Just as I was about to look away I noticed two tiny red marks on the upper area of my left breast. I flopped my head sideways for a closer look. Bite marks...how strange.

My weary gaze drifted over to the Tyrant, I watched as he ran his fingers through his soggy mop of hair.

Edroar's hand stilled midway. "You drooled on me?" his jaw clenched before lowering in disgust. The words were mostly slurred, but I could still make them out.

"I did not," I slurred back. "You stuck your hair in my mouth," my face remained sideways as I glared up at him. "And you bit my boob." I pointed to my chest with both hands.

"I most certainly did not," he scoffed at my accusation. "You stuck your breast in my mouth," his speech was clearer now and quickly filling with irritation.

"In case you haven't noticed," I spoke calmly, "you're on top of me." My eyes pointed out the obvious.

Other than his face, I was completely covered by his long, solid frame.

"Why can't I move properly?" he demanded to know, as he tried pulling away from me. It seemed the harder he tried the closer he became. His face ignited with anger.

"I have no idea," I replied, smoothly. "Are you drunk?"

"Hardly, I ordered one drink," he snarled, his patience wearing thin. A big, 'Do not push' sign appeared above his head.

"Sounds like you're a light weight to me." I smirked, earning a nasty scowl in response.

The Tyrant's tightly fisted hand pounded down on a button to his left, causing a privacy wall to go up, completely shutting us off from the driver.

He turned his face to mine. "Did you drug me, Ms. Swan?" His voice was eerily calm, but there was no mistaking the dangerous undertone to it.

My eyebrows hit the ceiling. "What? You're kidding, right?"

"What was in those cookies you fed me?" His nostrils flared menacingly.

The seriousness of his question threw me off a little. "Well, I assume flour, sugar, butter and eggs, but I'm sure if you Google boob cookies you can get the full recipe," I offered helpfully.

He leveled me with one look, changing the atmosphere immediately. "Tell me what I'm high on," his thunderous voice filled the small space we were in. "Don't even consider covering for those freaks. That would be unwise, I assure you."

It was silent as I stared him down a few moments. "There is no need for threats," I resisted an eye roll, letting out a deep sigh instead. "Obviously you're high on a small dose of hard liquor. You haven't eaten a thing a thing all day. What did you expect to happen?"

My finger shot up to his reddened face, landing at the center of his nose. I didn't plan for it to happen, he was just so close.

The bloodthirsty look he unleashed on me would have intimidated most people, certainly all of the people I worked with, yet I found it frustratingly enticing. The air between us became unbearably thick. I had trouble breathing it in. I swallowed hard.

My heartbeat sped up, pounding beneath my dress like a drum. I had to fight off the urge to torment him, just to hear him roar. Why the thought of that thrilled me so much I had no idea.

Clearly, I had issues.

He swatted my finger away like a bug which made me laugh, giggle actually, which was really weird since I never giggled like that, except when I was high.

I froze still as a statue, gasping mid giggle. Fuck me! Was I high…without even knowing it?

My fingers clamped across my mouth reflexively. I sat there wide-eyed and speechless as images of the night flashed before me. Edroar watched as the realization swept over me like a freight train.

"You can't possibly be that naive?" he exhaled with annoyance. His eyes held confusion and a bit of pity, which irked me.

"I'm not naive," I folded my arms defensively. "I was just very trusting, being that I was among friends."

He snorted in my face. "Friends, is that what you call them?" His nose raised in the air as he glared at me with a hardened scowl. "If you consider those maniacs your friends, then you're right. I don't understand."

"Of course you don't understand," I frowned at his angry face. "You don't have any friends and you certainly don't trust anyone." My words weren't meant to be cruel. I stated them softly, yet firmly.

It was the truth.

Large Tyrant hands landed on either side of me. He let out a low grunt as he pushed himself up, closely hovering over me, very closely, effectively trapping me beneath him.

"Untrue," he seethed, the deep vibration of his gravelly voice travelled all the way down to my toes.

To my dismay I found myself completely frazzled by him, more so than ever before. My brain was already in an altered state, making it near impossible to keep hold of my senses.

His eyes were dangerously dark as they forcibly grabbed onto mine. Practically every part of his body was in some way touching mine, and I mean…every part.

My tongue swept out across my bottom lip instinctively as I inhaled his warm cookie scented breath. Good Lord, I bet his mouth tasted amazing, probably like Mrs. Field's wayward brother. His breath smelled heavenly. There was just one question on my mind in that moment.

How inappropriate would it be if I nibbled on his lips as he glared down at me?

I was no fool. A part of me realized nibbling my angry, tyrant, lion, boss would be a maniacal death wish. However, there was this other part that brilliantly suggested I could lick him instead, which of course made more sense.

I wanted that. I wanted to lick those furious, red, cookie scented lips that were spewing fire down upon me.

If only I could move my head, that would really help, but I couldn't and he just wasn't close enough.

"Damn it. Damn it. Damn it," I grumbled beneath my breath.

The Tyrant's eyes were intense, vibrant green and burning hot with an overwhelming variety of emotions, rage being the dominant, as always.

They remained locked on mine.

The man was completely unraveled. Something told me he wasn't accustomed to losing control…ever. And yet, there he was struggling to speak properly, move accurately.

I sat there staring up at him, licking my lips, wanting to lick his. A small voice of reason kept trying to snap me back to reality. The nagging voice grew louder and louder until it was screaming at me not to devour him. Reluctantly, I retracted my tongue.

My lips were slick from my own saliva. The Lion's magic cookie powers caused me to completely lose track of what was going on around me.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "Uh...did you say something?"

He dipped down closer. "I said your words are untrue."

A fresh wave of warm cookies washed over my face, tempting me. All I wanted was to taste him. Just one little lick.

Instead I bit down on my tongue. "I…I said words?"

Honestly, how could I be expected to think straight when he smelled like that?

His face stiffened. "You said I don't trust anyone," there was a raspiness to his voice, "That is untrue," he shook off his thoughts before raising his bloodshot eyes to mine, "I trusted you."

The force of his statement smacked me across the face, literally causing my cheeks to burn. I'd never heard the word 'trust' uttered with such disgust before.

"Obviously a misjudgment on my part. It won't happen again," he added coolly before looking away.

Something shifted in that moment. I felt a connection between us breaking. A connection I hadn't even known existed. With great determination on his part he pulled away from me physically, yet it felt like so much more.

I didn't like it.

He must have been high. When did he ever trust me? His walls were always up. I had seen it constantly…with other people. Hell, I was my own worst enemy most of the time. Why on earth would he just recklessly trust someone like that without at least warning them?

It made no sense, but I couldn't shake the big ball of guilt that was now lodged deep in the pit of my stomach. I glanced over at him, my face solemn. He managed to sit upright beside me, which was no easy accomplishment, if his body was functioning like mine.

My boss's expensive suits always repulsed me, but I realized something while watching him struggle to straighten his tie. They were his armor. In his mind those suits exuded power and control, which for him was a necessity.

The man hadn't a friend in the world.

No cinnamon and tobacco smelling southern charmer to swoop in and pull him out of a funk. I wanted to know why he would deprive himself of such a basic human need.

I opened my mouth to ask but, "I'm sorry," came out instead, two tiny words spoken with more sincerity than I'd ever heard in my voice before.

I wasn't the type of girl that apologized very often. It was so rare that I felt something was my fault. I was a top notch excuse maker. Usually those words sounded so strange on my lips, but this time they didn't. Honestly, they sounded horribly inadequate.

He gave me a detached head nod before turning his attention to the window.

We rode in silence the rest of the way. I spent the time trying to piece together exactly what happened at The Box. One thing I knew about Tyler Crowley was that he never met a narcotic he didn't like. He thought of them as precious little life enhancers.

If you had a headache he'd hand you Ecstasy instead of Tylenol. He really meant no harm by it, but I knew better than to accept any pretty little pills from him. I just never thought to question a plate of freaking cookies. Who drugs their friends with phallic shaped treats?

The atmosphere in the car was intense to say the least. I had no idea how we even made it to the limo to begin with and I wasn't about to ask. The Tyrant was in no mood for small talk that much was clear.

Vaguely, I recalled Eleanor standing beside me right before I blacked out. She must have somehow helped us. I reached around looking for my purse and found it under my knee. I pulled out my phone to check the time. It was four thirty in the morning.

I wondered if Edroar still wanted his massage at eight sharp. I wondered if he still wanted his massage at all, from me anyway. I didn't intentionally drug him. I would never do such a thing. Once he got a few hours of sleep and regained control of his nervous system, he'd realize that.

* * *

As a child I loved twirling around in circles. I would get so dizzy I couldn't walk straight, staggering in a zigzag pattern with my arms out in front of me, giggling uncontrollably.

How cute at ten years old, at twenty-five…not so cute anymore.

Getting from the limo to the penthouse was a memorable trip to say the least. Thankfully, Edroar's driver prevented me from seriously injuring myself or anyone else in the vicinity.

I kept glancing behind me, keeping a watchful eye on my boss, who was doing far better than I was actually, though I knew it was with tremendous effort on his part.

The Lion was way too stubborn to accept help from anyone, angrily shooing away the doorman, the driver, and the elevator operator. Normally his movements were flawless, swift and fluid, almost inhuman, really.

His arrogant swagger always drove me insane, yet watching him struggle with choppy movements and unsteady maneuvering was much worse.

Jenks greeted us at the door. His usual expressionless face looked quite concerned. "Sir, are you injured?"

"I'll be fine," Edroar called over his shoulder as he walked away, without glancing at either of us.

Jenks' worried eyes landed on me. "Miss Bella, are you alright?"

I nodded. "Yes, just a little out of sorts. Would you help me find my room?" My back was leaning against the door frame, exactly where the driver had left me.

"Of course," like the gentleman he was, Jenks held out his arm and guided me to my room.

My bed was a welcomed sight.

I didn't even take off my dress before crashing on the mattress with a solid thump, my kick ass shoes were flung across the room. It was five o'clock in the morning.

Since midnight I managed to drug both myself and my boss, and seriously contemplated licking him as he scolded me. Twenty-five was not looking to be a very smart year for me.

I needed sleep. Then I could fix everything.

Having no idea if I was expected to report for work at eight, I set the alarm on my cell phone. It wouldn't be ideal for the Tyrant to receive a massage in his condition.

Hell, it wouldn't be ideal for me to give one in mine, but it was my job.

Though, I was definitely going to suggest delaying his morning massage until evening to allow time for the toxins to be released from his system. Otherwise it could actually make him feel worse.

The next thing I knew it was noon.

I blinked and the clock moved forward seven hours. I must have passed out without realizing it, sleeping right through the alarm.

I jumped up from my bed like it was on fire and flew out of the room, flying down the hall at top speed. I had no idea where I was even going. My body was running on adrenaline, my mind lagging far behind.

Why didn't anyone wake me?

As my bare feet padded down on the cool marble floor I slowly came to my senses. I was still wearing my leather mini dress, my hair hanging halfway out of my pony tail. I tugged on the tie, letting it fall loosely across my shoulders.

I desperately needed to get back to my room to shower. Then I needed to figure out if I still had a job. My stomach turned at the thought.

"You'll fix this," I reminded myself. But first I had to become human again. I probably looked like a cavewoman standing there in my tiny whoop ass dress, no shoes and hair as wild as a banshee.

I spun around to head back to my bedroom and was faced with multiple hallways. "Are you kidding me?" I shouted into the empty space. Not surprisingly there was no response.

If there had been any doubt that I truly was my own worst enemy it was erased in that moment. I trudged down the hall looking for signs of life. Every door I tried opening was locked.

After far too long I finally found an unlocked door. It wasn't my room, but at that point I was just so happy to get out of the hallway I really didn't care.

Of course the room led to another hallway which led to yet another room. Oddly enough it was familiar to me. It was near identical to the lobby of our health club in Seattle. Instantly I wondered if the massage room was nearby.

So I snooped around a bit. How could I not?

The weight room was almost an exact match. I half expected to see Emmett jump out from behind the barbells. There was no yoga studio…or Mike, thanks be to God, a sauna was there instead.

I wandered over to where Rose's aerobics class would have been and found an incredibly large and inviting hot tub set beside a massive window looking out over Central Park.

Amazing didn't even begin to describe it.

In fact I was highly tempted to drop my dress and dive right into the bubbling water, but I refrained.

Instead I headed over to where the massage room might be. Along the way I realized I actually missed the gang. I wondered if they would keep in touch with me after I lost my job.

I closed my eyes and pictured their shocked faces upon finding out I drugged our boss…with boob cookies of all things.

Own worst enemy was truly an understatement.

I let out a deep sigh as I swung the door open to the massage room. Except it wasn't a massage room at all. It was far better than that.

Standing before me was a state of the art, multi head, shower extravaganza, utterly impossible to resist. Not that I even tried. Before you could say 'cavewoman on crack' I swiped a fresh towel off the shelf and was halfway to the promise land.

After a long, steaming hot, near orgasmic, cleansing experience I dried off my body with a bright smile on my face, feeling human again. I wrapped the towel tightly around myself and ventured into the adjoining room, hoping to find a phone.

Alas, all I found was an empty bathroom. Beautiful as it may be, it was of no use to me. I really didn't want to put that damn leather mini-dress back on. Angela was right…it was my most dangerous article of clothing.

But I couldn't very well roam the halls in just a towel, not that anyone would see me. Lord knew there was no sign of life nearby.

My reflection in the bathroom mirror caused me to still momentarily.

It was crazy, but my hair actually looked healthier. While in the shower I found Edroar's shampoo and conditioner. They were specifically formulated for him by an elite European spa.

Was he for real?

I mean his hair was the first thing you noticed about him, that tousled mess of chaotic bronze. It was so twisted and tangled one might think he didn't even use shampoo and conditioner. Although, I could attest, unlike him, his hair was quite soft…and oddly enough it tasted like champagne.

I discovered that bit of information out when I woke up with a mouthful of Lion hair.

At first I thought I was imagining it, but when I scanned the ingredients on his snobby shampoo bottle, champagne grape seed oil was at the top of the list.

What a Fat Cat.

Quietly I made my way out of the bathroom, actually tiptoeing down the abandoned hall like a fool. After passing a few locked doors I spotted one that was half open and quickly headed for it.

My view of the room was blocked by a partition, but I spotted a phone on the wall. I made a beeline for it. Just as I had picked up the receiver I heard a voice clearing from behind me.

I spun around, phone still in hand.

It was my boss…of course, that was just my luck. Though based on his appearance I would never have known it was him. Gone was his stuffy suit. He stood before me shirtless, wearing simple black workout shorts.

We silently took each other in at the same time, equally confused, curious.

"I…uh got lost…again." I explained while awkwardly playing with the phone cord.

His head tilted slightly to the left. "You got lost walking from your bathroom to your closet?"

My eyes rolled. "Of course not, that would be ridiculous."

"Yes, it would be," he agreed, still taking me in.

I followed his gaze and then realized I was standing there practically naked, dripping water droplets all over his shiny hardwood floor.

A loud buzz suddenly emanated from the phone, scaring the hell out of me, causing me to fling the receiver across the room while letting out an ear piercing shriek. All sorts of lights started flashing on the damn thing.

Edroar quickly grabbed the receiver from the floor informing the person on the other end that everything was fine. He then walked over and hung up the phone.

He was now standing directly in front of me.

For the very first time since I laid eyes on him I couldn't read him at all. His eyes, normally so expressive, were a blank slate. I had no idea what he was thinking.

"Did you not pack clothing, Ms. Swan?" he asked calmly.

I squirmed in place, using my toe to draw tiny circles on the floor before me. Why was I so damn nervous?

I nodded, dumbly. "Yes, I have clothes."

He watched patiently, waiting for me to explain further, but I just stood there, creating toe art on his puddled floor.

"Ms. Swan," his voice pulled me away from my work.

"Yes?" Good Lord, my voice sounded so flustered.

"Tell me why you're roaming the halls like…that," he demanded, in his Mr. Cullen, bossy voice.

His glare was intense. I felt a wave of relief wash over me at the familiarity of it. The Lion was back. His eyes swiftly filled with chaos and anger, what a welcomed sight.

The return of the Tyrant rid me of nervous Bella in a flash. I flung a strand of wet hair over my shoulder, spreading more water around the room.

My eyes widened in emphasis as I exclaimed, "It's a labyrinth of beautiful emptiness out there!" I pointed to the door behind me.

He watched carefully, his face still expressionless, though his eyes told me he was interested in what I had to say.

I glanced up at the clock on the wall. "I slept through my alarm, and when I woke up I ran out of my room in a daze. I've spent the last two hours trying to find my way back," I paused briefly, "well, okay technically one…the other hour I was in your shower, which is amazing, by the way." I smiled widely at the thought of it.

"I see," was all he said.

There was silence.

"This whole area is amazing, actually," I continued on, "that hot tub is seriously begging to be used. I almost dove right in," my blabbering was cut off by a fierce look from the Lion.

He walked over to a small, inconspicuous panel on the wall and opened it. There was a keypad inside. He curled his finger, beckoning me over to him. I adjusted my towel before making my way across the room. When I reached him he pointed to the names on the keypad. I noticed Jenks was one of them.

"Oh, wow. I have one of those in my room," I said eagerly, the sly bitch I was.

"Yes, I'm sure you do," he said dryly. "There is one in every room."

"Really?" I scrunched my nose skeptically.

"Really," he confirmed. "They can be found in the hallways as well," he added with bit of sarcasm.

"Oh," I said quietly. "But they blend right into the wall. How would I spot them?"

"How did you spot the one in your room?"

"Jenks showed it to me."

"I'm not surprised. It's obvious you're highly unobservant," he noted, bitterly.

I coughed at the accusation. "What? I'll have you know I am an extremely observant person."

"Really?" he didn't look convinced in the least.

"Really," I stated firmly.

He stepped in closer to me. "Extremely observant people do not mistake poisonous liquids for water or debilitating, illegal, substances for cookies," his growl was thunderous. "Observant you most definitely are not," he snarled, full on Lion.

I raised a lone finger straight in the air. "Okay, perhaps that is true. But in my defense, how was I supposed to know that Fungicure was a clear and odorless liquid? And as far as the cookies..."

"Fungicure?" he cut me off abruptly.

My eyes turned into saucers. "What?" I asked, innocently.

His reddened face moved in closer. "Did you spray me in the face with Fungicure?"

"Not on purpose," I sang sweetly.

He shot me a wicked glare before storming across the room.

"Wait!" I yelled out, but he kept walking.

I followed after him practically running to catch up. He walked so damn fast with those ridiculously long legs of his. We rounded several corners with me calling his name to no response.

I heard a door slam and made double time to catch up knowing that Fat Cat was going to lock me out.

And I was right.

I pounded on the door, but he wouldn't open it. So I started yelling, not even sure if he was still on the other side.

"You're being very immature," I griped angrily. "I mean, you could at least let me explain."

The silence from the other side of the door did not deter me.

"I just want you to know that I would never intentionally drug or maim you," I proclaimed with complete sincerity.

The fact that I even needed to say such a thing to my boss was not something I was proud of.

I peeked through the tiny window on the door but the glass was beveled and I couldn't see a thing.

"If you can hear me I'd like you to know that I'm sorry….for everything," I exhaled deeply. "Well, maybe not everything. There have been times you were a real jerk to me," my arms folded together tightly. "Like the day we first met. You were just plain rude."

I looked around for something to pick the lock with. Jasper taught me. There were certainly situations it came in handy through the years.

"Oh and then when you called me a mindless school girl." I shouted at the door. "That was totally uncalled for." I was still searching the area as I spoke.

There was complete silence on the other side of the door. I placed my ear against it and heard nothing. He probably wasn't even listening to me. Genius that I was, I finally realized if I kept berating him he would never open the door. I truly was sorry and wanted to explain, but it seemed my apology skills were a bit lacking.

I took a cleansing breath and tried again.

"It meant a lot to me that you came out to The Box last night." I admitted to the lifeless wooden object before me. "Actually, I was kind of surprised by how happy I was to see you there." I smiled at the memory of first spotting him at the bar.

Still no sign of life on the other side of the door, but I didn't care. It felt good just to get my thoughts out in the open.

"You stood out like a sore thumb in your Fat Cat suit, you know. But I'm sure you're quite aware of the fact that you always stand out…wherever you go. Like a Lion. Like the King of the jungle," I attempted a mighty roar, but it was nowhere near as ferocious as what that man was capable of.

There was some sort of movement from the other side of the door, but it lasted only a few seconds.

I sighed in frustration. "And one more thing," I stood staring at the door. "It wasn't a mistake for you to trust me," my tone was serious. "I know I haven't exactly been proficient at earning your trust." Then I yelled loudly, "due to circumstances beyond my control," I paused a moment before adding, "but I would never intentionally betray you."

As I listened to the silence that followed I scanned the area like a hawk.

My lips curled into a smirk. "If you were an observant person you would already know that." I could never resist baiting him.

Though it really didn't matter since it was quite obvious I was talking to myself, which was probably for the best since it wasn't exactly an award winning apology, but I was improving. I certainly didn't want to make a habit of it though. Just as I was about to give up I spotted my ticket to the other side.

As I made my way to it I kept talking. "If you forgive me I'll make you a deal. You like making deals. I know you do. You're a business man."

Within seconds I had the door open and was standing in a large room. To my surprise my boss was at the center of it, wearing very odd looking boxing gloves, eyes on fire.

"Oh, shit!" I dropped my tool to the floor.

"Lock picking," he punched the life sized, punching bag before him. "Did one of your 'friends' teach you that?"

Damn! He moved with such crushing force, it was far beyond anything I had ever seen. I'd been witness to many a rowdy brawl in my life, but Edroar's speed and precision just completely took my breath away.

I stood there speechless as I watched him pummel his sandbag opponent relentlessly; using a mixture of deadly kicks and punches.

Every movement was flawlessly executed with lethal force.

To my absolute horror, I was turned on, incredibly turned on, beyond all sense of reason. Raw need flooded my body, nearly knocking me over. I ached in areas I never knew existed. It took everything I had not to pounce on him like a wild animal.

What the hell was wrong with me?

The man was my boss. Though, that was fact was debatable, since I was most likely fired, but still. I was now firmly at the top of his endlessly long list of people he didn't trust.

And yet images…horribly sinful, naughty images were flashing through my mind.

Seriously, what was going on with me? I had seen the man naked before. His body was magnificent. I knew that, but just like any other client of mine sexual thoughts were strictly forbidden. Not even a possibility.

Completely off the table.

However the floor could be an option, the raging floozy inside me quickly suggested. I was out of control. Maybe I was still high. That had to be it. Yes, this was Tyler's fault, damn that cookie lacing, blueberry burnout. He would pay.

I stood there for I don't know how long, shamelessly drooling over my boss. I found my feet slowly approaching him the second he halted his workout.

"I want to touch you," I said bluntly. My filter had fled my brain.

Edroar was covered in sweat. Normally I would find such a thing unattractive. His sweat though...it glistened. He actually seemed to sparkle under the direct light. The man had pretty sweat.

How crazy was that?

Oh, yeah. I was definitely still high. I had to be. What other possible explanation could there be? He grabbed a towel and wiped away some sparkle droplets on his forehead before turning to me.

"I have no time for a massage right now. I'll summon you when your services are required," he said coolly.

"Summon me?" My back stiffened.

He nodded, tossing the towel across his shoulders. "Yes, that's what I do when I need one of my servants. Do you have a problem with that, Ms. Swan?" He was testing me.

"I do, actually," I nodded. "You see, I find the term servant offensive." I stepped closer to him.

"Do you?" He had a smug look on his face.

"Yes, I do," I confirmed, stepping in again even closer, effectively backing him up against the battered sandbag. "Does it make you feel powerful to have servants, Mr. Cullen," I placed my hands on either side of him, trapping him beneath me.

"No," he stated confidently. "My power is the result of hard work and perseverance. My servants are a luxury I've earned."

"Oh, so then I'm a luxury," I clarified his statement.

He shook his head. "No, you are a maddening anomaly." His fingertips brushed lightly against the base of my spine.

The warmth of his touch filled my body with scorching heat. I'd never felt anything like it. He wasn't even directly touching my skin, yet the fire was incredibly intense.

I had to force myself not to rip off my towel. That would have left me completely naked. Why did I want that? Did he want that? I had no idea. Just as I was about to ask, loud, clompy, footsteps entered the room.

"Mr. Cullen," a strange voice called out. The man was in uniform, a security guard, no doubt.

I jumped back quickly, realizing how intimate the moment appeared.

"What is it?" Edroar asked impatiently.

"The alarm panel alerted me there was a break in to this room. Is everything alright?" his beady eyes roamed my legs as he spoke.

Edroar shot the man a deathly glare before stepping in front of me. "What do you think? Do I look as though I'm in danger?" he asked, sarcastically.

"Um…well I guess not," I heard the man stammering, though I couldn't see a thing.

"Very well then, you're dismissed," Edroar stated, cold as ice.

I heard the loud clomps leaving the room, moments later the Tyrant turned to me. "You need to get dressed," he said with a serious look on his face.

"Okay, will you show me where my room is?" I still had no clue.

He nodded his head before leading the way. As we walked the long and winding hallway together he made sure to point out the many information panels I hadn't noticed along the way, smirking each time, the smug bastard. When we got to my room I thanked him.

Just as he was about to step away I reached out for his arm and pulled him back to me. "Did you hear what I was saying to you outside the door?"

He thought a moment before answering. "Yes."

"Oh." I wasn't quite sure how I felt about that.

"I believe you offered me a deal, did you not?" His brow rose up curiously.

I fought off a goofy smile. "I did. Are you interested?"

"That depends on the offer," he smirked, wickedly.

"Well, your end of the deal would be to forgive me for accidentally drugging and maiming you," I explained calmly.

"Forgiveness?" he seemed intrigued by the concept. "That is what you're interested in?"

I nodded. "Yes, I want you to forgive me. Have you ever forgiven anyone before?"

"Definitely not," he stated firmly before I barely finished my sentence. "I am not an

easy going man."

"Really?" I gasped in shock, "I had no idea."

"If you were any other employee you would have been fired on day one," he stated, fully serious.

"Would I?" I contemplated his words as he nodded. "Are any of your other employees' anomalies?" I was being flirtatious, I couldn't help myself.

"Maddening anomaly," he corrected. "No, just you."

"Wow, I had no idea I was the only one." I flashed him a bright smile. "You know, if you were any other boss of mine I would have quit on day one and told you to go to hell."

"I believe that," he nodded his head, keeping his eyes firmly locked on mine. "Were any of your other bosses Fat Cats?"

"Arrogant Fat Cat," I corrected and watched him smile. It was genuine and made my heart rate triple instantly. "No, you're the only one."

I realized we had unintentionally moved closer together. So close that I was practically flat against the man. I had to get a hold of myself.

He cleared his throat and slowly backed away. "I have a meeting."

Edroar was flustered, I could see it. He ran his fingers through his hair, leaving it a ruffled mess. The tips of his ears were reddened. Why did I find that adorable?

Dear God, I needed serious help.

"Okay," I fiddled with the doorknob, "Oh, so what about our deal?" I asked just as he turned to walk away.

He looked back at me. "I don't hold you accountable for the cookies. It was my fault for trusting you to begin with," he paused. "But spraying me in the face with Fungicure I will never forgive you for," he shot me a sinister look. "Ever."

"We'll see about that!" I yelled out to him as he walked away.

"Get dressed," he yelled back before rounding the corner. "I'm taking you out for dinner tonight, to a place with no freaks or criminals. Can you handle that?"

I laughed, thinking he was kidding. "Very funny, are we dining at the Four Seasons or the Waldorf this evening? I need to know which jewels would be more appropriate," I said in a posh accent.

"Neither and no jewels, be ready by eight sharp," he said without a hint of sarcasm.

He was serious.

"Are you serious?" I asked, clearly shocked.

"About the jewels? Yes, they're extremely obnoxious, overpriced rocks." His nose was in the air.

"No, I mean about taking me to dinner? What about your massage?" My eyes were rampantly searching his. Was I fired?

Maybe it was a good-bye dinner. Though I highly doubted Edroar did such things. He started walking back to me and I found myself meeting him halfway.

"I'll let you know when I require a massage," he said, smoothly, "And yes, I'm serious about dinner. There will be no drugs or strippers though. If you can deal with that then meet me in the main foyer at eight. Don't be late."

"No drugs or strippers," I frowned. "I'll have to think about this. It's a lot to ask. Will there be any illegal activity at all?"

"No," he shook his head firmly.

I sighed deeply. "Okay fine, but this is insanity."

His face became alarmingly serious. "Perhaps," he mumbled before walking away, leaving me completely confused.

After returning to my room, I leaned up against the closed door, eight o'clock would be plenty of time for my odd, drug induced, attraction to my boss to wear off.

Tonight was going to be pure business. There would be no nibbling, licking or flirting with Edroar. Damn it! The images instantly flooded my brain again.

How annoying.

"I will not sexually assault my boss." I chanted several times, attempting to block the downright raunchy visuals that were floating around in my mind.

Stomping my foot down on the floor I swore to behave myself at all costs.

How hard could it be?

To my dismay, that was exactly what I wanted to find out. Not good Bella. Not good at all.

* * *

**A/N:** Next up…dinner with a boob biting Lion. Oh my! Wonder what's on the menu? Will Bella's attraction to her boss wear off?

**Fun Fact** : The song _Anna Molly_ by _Incubus_ (quote at top) is a play on the word anomaly, which is exactly what Edroar considers Bella at the moment. He thinks of that maddening girl whenever he hears the song (on profile and blog).

**That's all** for now folks. Let me know what you think…it completes me.


	12. Fool in the Rain

**A/N** : Alrighty folks. Are you ready for dinner with a Lion? Edroar is totally famished so we better feed him right away. I'll meet you guys down below.

 **Happymess:**  My beloved cannoli virgin…in the bakery of life YOU are the sweetest treat of all.

 **Caro2lalala & Djsmommie: **I fully blame the tweak demon for everything. Perhaps together we can bring him down.

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just an evil goat from Hell *

 

* * *

_**Oh now my body is starting to quiver, and the palms of my hands getting wet… oh. I got no reason to doubt you baby, it's all a terrible mess.** _

_**-Led Zeppelin, Fool in the Rain** _

* * *

Though I hated to do it, I buzzed poor Jenks to guide me on my journey to the main foyer. There were at least ten other names on the information panel beside my bed, but his was the only one I recognized. I had yet to meet anyone else. Where were all these mysterious Edroar servants?

I had no idea.

What I did know was that it was nearly eight o'clock and I was getting ready to go out for dinner…with my boss, the boss that I may or may not have been uncontrollably attracted to.

Definitely had to be the drugs and alcohol, I told myself continuously as I got ready. The man was an arrogant Fat Cat; definitely not my type.

 _But what was my type?_  I wondered as I applied a tiny dab of clear lip gloss. I was going very natural, basic black dress and heels. My hair hung loosely down my back, I let it air dry, no styling products at all. The light curls actually dried without frizzing, to my surprise. It must have been that snobby Lion shampoo and conditioner. My normally dull, lifeless hair never looked healthier. It felt like silk, shined like satin and actually bounced when I moved around.

As I looked in the mirror I frowned at my reflection.

If one were to look at the men I dated in the past they would think my type was lying, cheating, drug addicts. How insane. That was not what I wanted at all.

Yet, that seemed to be exactly what I ended up with time and again. Hence, the self inflicted boycott on boys or mancott on men, I suppose. Because the truth of the matter was the type of man I wanted…didn't even exist.

Honestly, I wasn't looking for Prince Charming. In fact I used to think I wasn't asking for much at all.

Was it so unrealistic to want someone with integrity, a sharp wit, and a wickedly warped sense of humor? My Mr. Ideal would also be brilliantly creative, infectiously passionate, fiercely loyal and brutally honest.

It wouldn't hurt if he were incredibly bad ass too. I mean, that's just sexy. He definitely had to have a strong backbone.

The last thing I needed was a man I could push around. My outspoken personality scared off more than a few good men through the years, further proving my point. The guy I wanted did not exist.

Which was exactly why my drug afflicted brain latched on to the first guy it saw. It was all a moot point really because above all the man was my boss, my boss that didn't even believe in friendship.

Who doesn't believe in friendship?

What was so severe it caused him to shun human bonding altogether? A thought flickered through my mind and I swatted it away, but it kept returning.

_Perhaps, I could be his friend._

It sounded crazy at first, but he was taking me out to dinner. He even trusted me…for a few hours. And he didn't fire me even though there were several instances where he would have been mildly justified in doing so.

I stood up and grabbed my shawl. Well, Angela's shawl. The entire outfit was hers of course. I took one final glance in the mirror before making my way over to the dutiful butler that patiently waited by my door.

Bright brown eyes reflected back at me, glowing with determination.

My Grandmother always said, "Friends are like a good bra, supportive, hard to find, and always close to your heart."

By the time I reached Jenks, my path was clear.

I was going to be Edroar's bra, which was totally fitting since it was obvious the man had a huge thing for breasts. A slight smirk appeared on my face as I glanced down at the small, yet visible bite mark in my cleavage.

Oh yeah, that Lion was definitely a boob man…a boob man in need of a bra.

* * *

The walk to the foyer took mere minutes. Had I ventured there on my own it would have taken hours. My boss was standing near the door in a sharp grey suit and black tie, his cell phone to his ear, lips spewing venom to whoever was on the other end.

Jenks bowed at me once before exiting the room.

"Unacceptable. You're fired," the Tyrant said firmly before disconnecting the call and raising his stormy eyes to mine.

"You know if you keep firing all your servants there will be no one left for you to lead," I warned with a sly grin.

He placed the phone in his suit pocket before acknowledging my words. "My standards are high, Miss Swan. I won't tolerate incompetence," he shot me a serious look. "You would benefit from doing the same."

With just a few steps I was at his side looking up at his stern face. "Being that I don't have servants it's really not much of an issue for me, but thanks for the advice," I smirked, playfully.

He smirked back, "Ah yes, no servants…just friends," the F word spilling from his lips as though it were a wretched disease.

I nodded. "Yes, friends. They're very important." Jumping at the chance to lay some groundwork I added, "A good friend accepts you for who you are. They help fill in the blank spots in your life." Lord knew I had plenty of blank spots.

His brow arched inquisitively. "I see. Do they do this by drugging you or teaching you criminal activity?"

"Both, if they're real good." I winked and then laughed to show him I was kidding.

He shook his head disapprovingly before turning to open the door. "I much prefer obedience to acceptance," he explained casually while guiding me to the elevator.

He was such a tyrant. Actually, it was good to see him back to normal. Edroar was in full control again. Swift, fluid movements, impeccable style and, of course, complete arrogance.

I watched as he pressed the call button, contemplating his words. "Are you sure about that?"

"Most definitely." His striking green eyes sparkled with mischief as they held mine. "I give commands, people accept them. That is the only form of acceptance I require."

"Of course they accept your commands," I laughed. "You're their boss. They fear you," A slight grin appeared on his face. I stepped in a bit closer to him. "But what if you have a bad day? Who cheers you up?"

He looked at me without speaking for several moments. "You are incredibly nosey," his voice deepened just enough to raise my heart rate.

"Inquisitive," I corrected, leaning in a bit.

"Meddlesome," he countered, stepping in nearer to me.

Instinctively, I sniffed him. His scent was so unique; musky and exotic. I inhaled again, deeper this time, allowing my senses to become saturated by his aroma, such masculinity, but most definitely laced with danger.

My nose was at his throat, my body nearly flat against his when the elevator doors slid open. How that kept happening I could not explain.

Once we were comfortably seated in the limo I continued our conversation. "So, you haven't answered my question. Who cheers you up when you have a bad day?"

He laughed dryly. "I am not a cheery person. I don't require cheering up…ever."

I sighed in frustration. This was going to be a lot harder than I thought. I glanced out the window feeling somewhat defeated, but the city was so full of life I was instantly rejuvenated by its abundant energy.

"Do you want my opinion?" My eyes found his like magnets.

"You ask this as though there were a choice," he noted with a wise grin.

I smiled at the truth in his words. "I was just going to say that in my opinion, you're not nearly as cold as you would like people to believe." My expression turned serious. "I've seen you laugh from your heart. Not everyone has that ability."

His eyes remained firmly on mine. "Narcotics can have that effect on people."

I shook my head. "Nope, I'm not talking about last night." Hell, I barely remembered it. I wondered how much of it he remembered.

Edroar's penetrating gaze was steady, gripping me tightly, on the cusp of frazzling me, but I fought it off.

I crossed my legs firmly and sat up a little higher in my seat. "The fire in you scares away most people, but there's this incredibly passionate and occasionally charming man that makes brief appearances," I took in a slight breath and quickly released it. "I was thinking perhaps…I could be his friend."

Why on earth this was so damn important to me I honestly did not know. But in that moment it felt like all that mattered in my world. Talk about pathetic. All along I had convinced myself I was trying to be his friend to save him. Yet, that didn't feel completely true anymore.

I braced myself for his wrath. Fully prepared to fight back, but was surprised by how calm he looked. He took his time contemplating my words. His silence was absolutely killing me.

Lightly his tongue glided over his bottom lip. "I wouldn't go there if I were you," he warned very seriously.

"Go where?" I wanted him to tell me what he was thinking.

Not because I was nosey. I mean, yes I was nosey, very nosey, but I found I genuinely cared about what ran though that crazy lion brain of his. To an extent I didn't quite understand.

"I am not…" he stopped abruptly looking away for a moment before his tormented eyes returned to mine, "that type of man," he added with an almost remorseful look on his face.

I moved in closer. "Then what type of man are you?"

"Toxic," he stated with such force my eyes widened and I swallowed hard. "I am not a good person…at all." His body looked physically pained. "You would be wise to remember that."

Intuitively, I reached out to him, cupping his chin in my hand. "No one is all good," I stated forging as deep into his turbulent eyes as I could go. "But no one is all bad either. A true friend accepts both the good and the bad."

How did he not know that? I was certainly no angel and my friends accepted me in spite of it. Hell, most of them encouraged it.

We sat there for several intense moments, my hand still cupping his chin, until I felt his fingers grasp them and pull them away. He held my hand out in midair.

"I am your boss," he spoke each word very slowly. "A good leader does not form friendships with their employees," he stated this as though it were a federal law.

"That's not true," I argued. "Plenty of amazing leaders are friends with their employees," I scrambled to quickly come up with an example. "Oh!" I shouted triumphantly. "Look at Oprah and Gayle. They're best friends."

He released my hand, letting it drop to my lap. "You can't be serious."

"I am very serious." I folded my arms stubbornly.

He rubbed his hands across his face and then up through his hair, ruffling it more so than it already was.

"That comparison is absurd," he looked baffled by my victorious expression.

"I don't think so at all." I eyed him carefully, my wheels spinning at full throttle. "How about I offer you a deal?"

"Another deal?" He griped, but I could see he was mildly curious. The Fat Cat in him simply could not resist a negotiation.

"Yes," I nodded enthusiastically.

"I'll pass," he said flatly. "If I remember correctly your last two deals required compromise and forgiveness on my part, yet I don't recall there being anything in return." He looked away disinterested.

"Uh, excuse me?" I rolled the E dramatically. "If I remember correctly I wasn't given the chance to fully negotiate either of those deals."

He thought a few moments before turning his face back to mine. "Alright then, tell me what you're after."

"I'm not after anything," my voice raised a few octaves from the insult.

"Really?" He seemed doubtful.

"Yes, really," I responded, thoroughly appalled by his outlandish insinuation.

"I don't believe you," he stated bluntly. "No one offers a deal unless they're after something."

I thought over his words and realized they did make a bit of sense. Okay, perhaps I was after something, but he was acting as though I was out to take something away from him, which was not the case at all.

In fact it was just the opposite. I was a giver not a taker. I had always been that way.

"Perhaps you're right," I reluctantly agreed. "Deal may not be the correct word to use." My finger tapped lightly against my cheek. "How about if we call it an offering?"

His brow rose, "An offering?"

I nodded, "Yes, just an offering."

"And you expect nothing in return?" He was skeptical.

"Nothing that wouldn't benefit you," I said sincerely. It was the truth.

"What would this offering require on my part?" He appeared slightly less apprehensive.

"Just an open mind," I paused, "I'll need to ask you a few questions, but I promise anything you tell me will be strictly confidential," my voice was filled with honesty. I even crossed my heart for added assurance.

The Tyrant leaned back in his seat. "Go on," he commanded.

"The first question is easy. Have you ever had a friend?" I smiled warmly, unsure if he would even respond.

"No," he answered stiffly.

"Good!" I yelled out and then realized how awful that sounded. "No! I mean it's not good that you're friendless. That's horrible, really horrible. What I meant..."

"I know what you meant," he cut off my awkward babbling.

After regaining my senses I asked my next question. "Was this by choice?"

"Eventually," he replied coolly, seemingly unaffected by the question.

Edroar was not the type of man to open up without a bit of a push…more like a mighty shove to be honest. I got the feeling no one had dared to shove him before. Hell, I got the feeling no one had dared to breathe around him before.

"You had no playmates when you were a child?" I asked softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

He was silent for so long I didn't think he was going to answer me, but to my surprise he shook his head. "That was not an option." Then he frowned for the briefest second before swiping it from his face.

Sadness coursed through me, taking me off guard. "Oh," I breathed out, my heart plunged directly into my stomach. "I'm very sorry to hear that."

"Don't be. It was for the best. I have no use for friends," he stated coldly. His iron clad walls sprang up before I could even blink.

"How would you know that? You can't possibly make an informed decision until you've at least had a friend," I explained logically, trying to rationalize with him.

"I've never had the bubonic plague either, yet I can assure you I have no use for that, same difference," he replied bitterly.

"Talk about absurd examples," I scoffed at his words. "I don't buy that for a minute. If you weren't looking for a friend then why did you invite me out for dinner tonight?"

His eyes snapped up to mine. "Is that what you thought? That I invited you to dinner so we could become friends?"

My chin lifted up a bit higher. "Would that be so crazy?"

"Yes," he said firmly.

"Really," I shot him a doubtful look. "Alright then, explain to me why the dreaded Mr. Cullen would invite his lowly servant out to dinner with him?"

His jaw tightened. "I don't have to explain my actions to you," a low growl coated his words. "But I will tell you this, Oprah Winfrey is an imbecile and," he moved his face in so close to mine I could barely see beyond his dark green eyes, "there is an excellent reason people fear me. Do not push me, Ms. Swan."

My brow rose defiantly. "You don't scare me." Our faces were so close I could feel his cool breath brush across my lips. "But I think perhaps I scare you. You want to be a friendless, tyrant? Fine!" I practically shouted against his mouth.

I was so angry I wanted to…I wanted to, quite frankly there was a lot I wanted to do. Most of it more than a little obscene, which I chose to ignore completely. The fact that I actually believed I could be his friend had me so frustrated.

What a fool I was.

Edroar was full on lion, staring me down, eyes full of fury. "You certainly don't scare me," he stated arrogantly. "Though, I do find your lack of self preservation frighteningly careless. Have you no regard for your own well being?"

I shrugged. "Why should I fear you? What are you going to do…roar at me?" I didn't dare tell him I was a crazy masochist that found that thrilling. It definitely wasn't something I was proud of.

His eyes closed a few moments. He breathed in deeply before re-opening them. "Maddening," he murmured under his breath.

The limo came to a smooth stop, moments later my door was opened and the driver guided me out of the car. I had no idea which direction to go so I remained in place as the Lion walked around to my side. He quickly advised the chauffeur to await our return and then his eyes landed on mine.

"Let's go," he commanded, irritation lacing each word.

"Yes, Sir," I saluted dutifully.

He eyed me disapprovingly before turning and walking away. I glanced back at the driver and waved politely. "Thanks," I said warmly.

He nodded. "It was my pleasure," his smile was genuine.

Unfortunately, he wasn't the same driver from the night before, who I was hoping to thank emphatically for pretty much carrying my spaced out butt to the front door.

The driver's warm gaze darted from me over to the Lion that stood glaring at him murderously. Instantly he stiffened, his eyes filling with fear, abruptly he stepped away from me.

Edroar waited impatiently as I made my way to his side. I was just about to ask if he wanted to forget dinner since his mood was obviously sour, but he spoke interrupting my thought pattern.

"Have you ever tasted Scandinavian cuisine?" his velvety smooth voice was like honey to my ear.

"No," I shook my head. "Not unless Swedish fish counts."

"Hardly," he brought his eyes to mine. "Tonight I'm going to introduce that smart mouth of yours to something new." His smirk was slightly crooked, utterly devilish and God help me incredibly captivating.

The Tyrant's mood swings were moving so fast I felt dizzy. Crazy as it may be I found myself smiling widely as I walked beside him down the path that led to the restaurant. How was it possible that he was capable of simultaneously infuriating and charming me?

The restaurant's décor was Euro chic, sleek and modern. The place was crowded but the moment we appeared in the doorway several staff members nearly tripped over themselves to get to us.

"Mr. Cullen," A tall, extremely handsome, blonde man smiled eagerly as he stood before us. "Welcome back to Aquavit."

My boss nodded his head barely acknowledging his presence.

The man's eyes drank me in from head to toe before flashing back to Edroar. "Vacker kvinna," he stated with a sly wink.

"How observant," Edroar snapped in response.

He looked my way again. "Och den här vackra damen är?" His brow rose up very curiously.

Just as I was about to explain that I didn't understand a word of Swedish my boss was standing directly in front of me, completely blocking me from the Maitre'd. It was incredibly rude and totally uncalled for. I stared at his back for a moment before huffing loudly as I walked around him.

"None of your concern," Edroar shot fire at the man, "Do you plan on seating us or staring at her all night?"

"Yes, of course, Sir, right away." The poor guy quickly jumped into action guiding us to our seats, apologizing profusely the entire way.

The man snapped his fingers and a swarm of workers suddenly appeared at our table. My chair was promptly pulled out, our glasses filled, and several small plates of food were placed down before us. They handed us menus and then stood in a straight line like soldiers as they awaited Edroar's command.

He barked something to them in Swedish and they scurried off in a flash. The moment we were alone I shook my head at him disapprovingly.

"I hope you know you were incredibly rude to both the Maitre'd and me." My eyes shot fire.

We were seated at a corner table near an expansive window with a breathtaking view of Manhattan, our chairs nestled tightly beside one another.

Edroar leaned in closer to me. "Untrue," he stated calmly. "Actually, that inadequate leech was rude to both you and me. He will regret that I assure you."

I laughed lightly. "The man is clearly terrified of you. I highly doubt he meant to be rude."

"That is irrelevant. Perhaps he should think before he speaks," he replied, opening his menu as though that particular conversation was over.

"You speak Swedish," I stated the obvious.

"I do," he nodded.

"What did the man say that was so rude?" He did seem a bit nosey, but who was I to fault someone for that?

My boss's eyes scanned the menu before they lifted to mine. "He said you were beautiful."

I gasped dramatically. "That bastard! Have him fired at once," my tone oozed sarcasm.

"It was inappropriate," he said sternly. "And I certainly won't tolerate being questioned by an insignificant waitperson." A look of disgust swept across his face. He was such a snob.

"Well, I find you standing in front of me as though I were an inanimate object completely inappropriate," I matched his stern tone as best I could.

With my blood still boiling I opened the menu. We locked eyes for several moments before I pulled away and focused my attention on the eloquent script on the page. Damn. Every word of it was in Swedish. There weren't even any pictures.

I had two choices, ask that that arrogant Fat Cat for help or eenie meenie miny moe my meal choice.

Deciding to leave it up to fate I closed my eyes and didn't open them until my finger landed on something called renytterfilè. I had no idea what the hell that was, but I wasn't' a very picky eater so I wasn't worried.

Edroar had taken off his suit jacket and placed it on the back of his chair. I removed my shawl and did the same. He was munching on some sort of…well I wasn't quite sure what he was munching on. He must have seen my baffled expression. A slight smirk ran across his face.

He pushed the plate toward me and handed me a fork. "Taste," he said. His tone was a bit softer, yet still commanding.

"What is it?" I looked down at the circular black glob before me. It kind of reminded me of tar, but there were all these tiny bubbles in it.

"Taste," he repeated, this time giving me his bossy eyes.

"Alright," I used the side of my fork to slice a small piece of the tar pie and scooped it up midway to my mouth. "How bad could it be?"

He stared intently at my lips as they closed down on the fork. My taste buds were instantly assaulted with the oddest flavors. The bitterness caused my eyes to clench shut before popping wide open.

"What on earth is that?" I gasped as I grabbed for my water glass.

"Steak tartar encased in Paddlefish Caviar." He reached over with his fork and scooped up another piece for himself. "Do you like it?"

"It's okay I guess." My nose scrunched tightly. "Very bitter."

"Not everything can be as sweet as a cookie," he said knowingly.

"Or a breast?" My eyes lingered down into my wounded cleavage and his followed suit.

"Indeed," he surprised me by acknowledging his naughty fetish.

We were seated so closely together his cool breath on my shoulder caused goose bumps to break out all over my body.

His eyes remained locked on the tiny bite mark until our waiter's sharp accent rang out beside us. Edroar placed his order in what sounded to me like fluent Swedish. I hadn't noticed it before since he was being so rude, but it was kind of attractive, hearing him speak in another language like that.

The mystery of what he was saying enticed me.

When the waiter's expectant gaze landed on me I quickly grabbed my menu and scanned it, bypassing the eenie, meenie and miny sliding my finger down the list until I found the moe.

The second I found it my head popped up. "I'll have the renytterfilè," I said confidently. Though judging by the waiter's amused face I was quite sure I butchered the pronunciation of it.

Edroar cocked his head to the side. "I thought you've never tasted Scandinavian cuisine."

"I haven't," I said, handing my menu to the waiter. "It just seemed like the obvious choice."

He sighed, shaking his head, "Always the anomaly, Miss Swan."

"One could say the same of you," I noted casually, as I tried another bite of the tar pie. It actually tasted pretty good once I was prepared for the bitterness.

"Untrue. I am very easy to read, you on the other hand are an oddity." His eyes swept the room before grabbing mine.

"An oddity?" I laughed at his unflattering word choice, "You mean like the bearded lady at the circus?"

He smirked devilishly. "Not exactly, I hardly find the bearded lady fascinating in any way."

My fingertip lightly followed the rim of my glass before I raised my eyes to his, "Are you saying you find me fascinating?"

The Tyrant didn't respond right away, instead he lifted his glass to his lips for long drink of water, keeping our eyes connected all the while.

He lowered his glass, his lips glistening. "I find you many things," he admitted, somewhat reluctantly.

Just as I was about to ask him what those things were our meals were suddenly placed down in front of us. I hadn't even noticed the waiter standing there, which was really weird since I was usually so observant.

Much to my relief my meal looked absolutely amazing, a plump and juicy steak with a hearty variety of vegetables surrounding it. I glanced over at the Lion, he had ordered the lamb. How fitting. I chuckled to myself.

"Something funny?" he asked shooing the doting waiter away from him.

"No," I shook my head, "Just a pre-dinner chuckle," I explained, what that meant I had no idea, apparently neither did he because he looked at me as though I were insane.

I dove right in. The steak had a slightly different taste than I was used to. Oddly enough it was a bit gamey, though very, very good. There was a red wine sauce on the side that was to die for.

My gaze landed on my boss, who sat quietly enjoying his meal. I took a moment to just watch him. His presence really did stand out. The room was filled with people, all of them ultra chic and extremely attractive, but Edroar with his ruffled mane of champagne flavored, bronze hair and blazing green eyes was impossible not to notice.

"Thank you for inviting me to dinner with you tonight," I said, sweetly.

He seemed taken off guard by my gratitude. "You're welcome. Do you like your meal?"

I nodded. "It's delicious. Though I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to try something new."

His brow rose. "You've had reindeer before?"

I coughed on my meat before swallowing it. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Renytterfilè," he pointed to my dish. "Reindeer filet," he explained as though that were obvious.

My eyes widened drastically. "Reindeer?" He couldn't be serious, "As in Rudolph the red nosed?" My fork dropped on my plate.

"No," he shook his head and I let out a sigh of relief. "Rudolph is a fictional children's character. Though I am sure he would be quite tasty," he snickered at my horrified face.

"This is not funny," I grabbed for my water and chugged it down. "How could you let me eat reindeer?"

"If I recall correctly it was the obvious choice," he noted with a snide grin on his face.

Even though my meal truly was incredible, the little girl inside of me adamantly refused to eat one of Santa's helpers. Edroar found the situation entirely too amusing for my liking, though he did offer to order something less traumatizing for me.

But there was so much food already on the table it seriously wasn't necessary. When I politely declined he insisted on sharing his meal with me, demanding that I eat more. By the time the busboys were clearing the table the Lion had noticeably relaxed. It was so good to see his walls come down, however brief that might be.

Dessert went much smoother, in fact it was heavenly. The main ingredient was something called cloudberry, though Edroar referred to it as Swedish gold and I could certainly see why. I moaned through each pleasure filled bite. My smart mouth, as my boss chose to call it, couldn't get enough. In fact, I felt slightly guilty that I ate just about the entire thing leaving him to sit there watching me drown in paradise.

A ridiculously large smile was plastered on my face as we walked to the limo. The light rain that had begun to fall cast a shimmering effect on our surroundings. The city streets glimmered in the moonlight, all the animosity from the beginning of the night had become a distant memory.

Perhaps I came on a bit too strong with the whole I want us be Oprah and Gayle offering.

Maybe we would just ease into a friendship naturally. Why I cared I had no idea, but I did. I cared more than I probably should, obviously much more than he did, because he certainly wasn't obsessing over being my friend.

Yet, unless my instincts were totally wrong, I strongly sensed he thought of me as something more than just an employee. He was far too stubborn to admit it though, which of course provoked the masochist in me to push him. But, when it came right down to it I had no right to do that, as he made quite clear, he was my boss.

As his employee I was supposed to respect him on a level that wasn't equal, something I found incredibly difficult to accept most of the time. How strange that I never once struggled with that at my previous jobs.

Driving back to the penthouse I was surprised to find I didn't really want the night to end. It was close to midnight and my birthday was just about over. Though it was nothing like the way I would have normally celebrated with Jazz, it still somehow felt right. As though he had read my thoughts my phone suddenly rang, grabbing it from my purse I saw Jasper's picture on the screen. I smiled brightly not realizing until that exact moment how much I really missed him.

"Happy birthday, Darlin," his familiar drawl filled me with warmth.

"Thank you," I was grinning like a fool, dying to tell him all about how amazing New York was.

"It fucking sucks here without you. These pussies don't know how to party," he griped, but I could see his flirty wink through the phone. I knew my best friend all too well.

I laughed. "Silly boy, you should know better than to try and enjoy a night out without me," I teased. Based on the giggling bimbos in the background it was a sure bet Jasper wasn't exactly lonely.

"I really do miss you, Bella," he said sincerely. "You better not be putting up with any shit from that cake eater boss of yours," he warned in his most fatherly tone.

I glanced over at my boss who I had momentarily forgotten was sitting right next to me. He didn't look pleased.

"I miss you too," I said truthfully. "I'll be home soon. Stay out of trouble," I chided.

"Now where would be the fun in that?" he asked, fully serious.

I could only imagine what Jasper could be up to without me there to keep him grounded. Our friendship was a steadying force in both our lives. We were more than just friends, we were family.

"I thought there was no fun without me around?" I retorted, playfully. The sound of him shooing away one of his bimbettes made me laugh.

"I gotta go, Darlin. You make sure to get that wise ass of yours home safely," he yelled into the phone over a sudden blast of music.

"I promise. Good night, Jazz." I watched with a wide smile on my face as his picture disappeared from the screen, shaking my head at that southern charmer.

My chat with my best friend made the night complete. I hadn't felt so content in quite some time. Feeling giddy I decided I wanted to do something extra special for my boss. He was most likely very tense since he hadn't had a massage in quite some time. It would be an excellent way for him to relax before bed.

I turned to face him still smiling widely. "If you want I can give you a massage when we get back," I held up my hands and wiggled my fingers in his face. "I'll have you in a heavenly slumber in seconds." Honestly, I felt a bit guilty that I had yet to actually do any work.

His eyes were pure ice. "That won't be necessary," he replied stiffly before looking away from me.

"Oh," I was slightly taken aback by his abrupt mood change. "Are you sure? Because you seem a bit tense," his jaw was clenched so tightly it looked painful.

He ignored me completely, turning his face and looking out the window. He had totally detached from me and I had no idea why.

I sat there for a few moments unsure if I should just let him be or attempt to find out what was bothering him. It didn't take long for me to figure out I couldn't let him be. That would have been the less masochistic option, which I of course never chose.

Carefully I reached out and touched his shoulder, which felt extremely tense beneath my fingertips, instinctively I kneaded the muscle. "Is there something wrong?" I asked, genuinely concerned.

He grabbed my wrist and spun around so quickly I lost my breath. I was actually pinned against the seat with him holding my wrist flat against it.

He lowered his face to mine. "Yes, something is very wrong," his eyes shot fire. "You do not touch me without my permission. Is that understood?"

I nodded my head diligently as I attempted to breathe properly. Still pinned against the seat I did my best to not appear intimidated by the slate black eyes glaring down at me.

I cleared my throat before speaking, not wanting to sound flustered. "I was just trying to be nice."

My words seemed to inflame him even more. "I believe I told you I would summon you when your services were required," he growled. "I have no use for you tonight."

The way he said those words set off something inside of me. My back stiffened as my hand wrapped around his. Judging by the intense rage that coursed through me I was quite sure my eyes were flaming red.

We were in such a heated stare I broke out in a cool sweat. "You do not touch me without my permission," I threw his words back at him while removing his fingers from my wrist. "I may work for you but you do not own me," I seethed venomously. Never had I been so angry in my life.

As livid as I felt it was no match for the lethal look my boss had now unleashed upon me. "As long as you work for me you will obey my command," he had the gall to say.

My jaw dropped. He had to be kidding, but as I searched deep into his dark, brooding eyes I found no hint of humor. He was completely serious. What was I doing? How could I work for a man like that?

Seconds later the limo came to a stop. I swung my door open and jumped out of the car.

Looking directly at the Tyrant, still raging in the back seat, I boldly said. "I will never obey your command and I am not your servant. You have no right to treat people like shit just because you're angry." I laughed humorlessly. "Do you know why I wanted to be your friend? Because I actually cared about you, but I guess it's like you told me, my standards are so low it's pathetic. Aren't you also the one that advised me to raise them?" The wind whipped my hair into my face and I pushed it away.

His eyes were locked onto mine, but he showed no reaction at all.

"I think I'll take your advice, Mr. Cullen," I spat his name out with disgust. "I quit!" I yelled out before slamming the door shut with all my might and storming off in a fit of rage.

The rain was coming down much harder than when we had left the restaurant and the wind picked up substantially. I had no idea where I was even going or how I would get back to Seattle. I knew I had to return to the penthouse to collect my things, but I wanted to wait until the Tyrant was asleep.

My heart was beating so fast it was all I could hear. I headed in a random direction having no clue where I was and not particularly caring, totally unaware of my surroundings. My eyes were focused straight ahead and most likely looked homicidal.

How had such an amazing night turned so horribly bad all in an instant? It made no sense to me. I walked until my feet began to hurt on the slick pavement, but that didn't stop me. I had so much adrenaline flowing it felt good to burn it off. The rain was pouring down, I was drenched from head to toe, but it was an unusually warm autumn night. The cool water helped to extinguish the fire that was burning inside me. My stomach felt like it was filled with flames.

I don't know how many blocks I walked until I finally became aware of my surroundings. The streets weren't nearly as crowded in the area I had ventured into, it was darker and the vibe was not at all energizing or filled with life as I was used to seeing. In fact, if I had to label the vibe around me I would call it dangerous.

Then I noticed it…footsteps directly behind me.

I was too tired to run and honestly getting mugged would have been the logical ending to the evening so I was quite sure it was about to happen. I stopped walking, prepared to face my fate head on.

The footsteps came closer, but I just stood there waiting.

I knew how to throw a solid punch, but I certainly wouldn't be able to defend myself if the slimeball had a weapon. Damn, whatever happened to that guy Peter? Why didn't I take him up on those kick boxing lessons he offered me?

As I stood there, getting soaked by the rain, I wondered how I would find my way back to the penthouse once the sleazeball stole my purse. I didn't' even know the address of the place.

The footsteps stopped directly behind me. I swallowed deeply, now sensing a distinct presence. Minutes went by. What the hell was he waiting for? I certainly wasn't about to just hand him my purse without a fight if that's what the creep thought.

He would have to earn this mugging.

If it wasn't for the loud clap of thunder that suddenly rang out it would have been completely silent. It was almost as though time had stood still. It struck me a bit odd that I had yet to be attacked. And then I heard it… a loud sigh, a familiar sigh, a tormented sigh.

Slowly I turned and faced him, my ex-boss. He was completely soaked. His normally chaotic hair was slicked back from the torrential rain. His fine Italian suit clung to him tightly.

His eyes met mine. "I'm sorry," he said simply.

"You should be," I agreed stiffly.

A sudden gust of wind nearly blew me over. Edroar moved in closer, running a hand through his hair before making eye contact with me again.

"I just…" he looked away a moment before his somber gaze grabbed mine, "I don't want you to quit," he stated with an intensity that caught me off guard.

"Then why did you treat me that way? You gave me no choice." A stray leaf landed in my hair and I tossed it aside. The wind was howling, thunder and lightning crackling in the sky.

Edroar took a step closer. "I was angry," he watched me take in his words. "It's…difficult for me to suppress it."

"So you unleashed it on me?" my hand was on my hip, "What the hell were you so angry about anyway? We had an amazing dinner. We walked to the car smiling. Then out of nowhere you just became so…so…cruel."

He let out a frustrated sigh. "I am cruel," his face contorted in emotion. "You were right. Your standards are ridiculously low. Believe me, I am not the type of person you want as a friend."

A strong gust of wind blew us even closer, our drenched bodies nearly touching now. I wanted to comfort him. He was so damaged. Despite what he thought he needed a friend, someone to care about him. Someone that didn't run from him when he roared, but could I really be that person? I certainly didn't want to be a whipping post that much I knew for sure.

He had to understand it was not okay to treat me like that, though as I searched his eyes this time I saw it there. Remorse. He was genuinely sorry.

"Can you at least tell me why you were so angry?" I asked, hoping to help him sort through his emotions.

He shook his head, "No, definitely not."

I sighed. "Do you have any idea how frustrating you are?"

"It's not important," he said firmly, his walls were up in an instant.

"Obviously it was important enough to enrage you." The man made no sense.

He let out a low growl. "Why must you always push me?" His hands were tightly fisted.

"Why must you always give me no choice?" We had moved so close together his unique scent assaulted me.

Mixed with the fresh rain and cool autumn air the aroma was deliciously intoxicating. Graphic images began flashing through my mind relentlessly. It was harder to fight them off. They were impossible to ignore. The Lion was frazzling me…without even knowing it.

Edroar's eyes darkened, his wet lips set to spew fire my way. My heart rate picked up instantly from the thrill of it, the thrill of him.

Before he even had a chance to speak my mouth was on his, my hands on his face, in his hair. It happened so quickly I took us both off guard. He was stiff as a board, no reaction at all. I jumped back just as suddenly as I had moved in, horrified by my actions, humiliated at my lack of restraint.

With my head lowered in shame, I cursed myself for once again being my own worst enemy. Reluctantly, I lifted my rain soaked face to his. Just as I was about to plead insanity the Lion swiftly pulled me in, biting down hard on my bottom lip before devouring my mouth whole.

  


* * *

**A/N:**

**  
**

**MERRY KISSMAS**  EVERYBODY! Okay, I promise to pick up where we left off….in the rain being devoured by an angry Lion. Oh my! Wonder if Bella will accept her job back. Wonder if that Tyrant will ever learn to behave himself?

As Jazz would say...now where would be the fun in that?

 **Huge Love** **to** **:** _Nina from Sweden_ for helping me translate the dinner scene. I researched Swedish cuisine last month and the moment I saw the word reindeer I was instantly obsessed with feeding it to Bella and posting on Christmas Eve. I swear I'm in therapy.

 **Fun Fact** : Aquavit is real. You can find pics of the restaurant, the reindeer filet, and Edroar and Bella's first kiss on my blog.

  


**That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think…it makes me happy like Oprah and Gayle.


	13. You Give me Fever

**A/N:**

Hi folks. Hope you brought an umbrella cause we're going back in the rain, right where we left off…kissing that maddening Lion. Meet you guys down below.

 **Happymess:** My love for you is fifty shades of bright and beautiful color. Will you be my Valentine?

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that lovers cake*

 

* * *

_**You give me fever when you kiss me. Fever when you hold me tight. Fever in the morning…fever all through the night.** _

_**-Elvis Presley, Fever** _

* * *

An instant…that was all it took for me to lose control.

He bit down on my lip and my hands were on him. My fingers forged a path straight up to the back of his neck, raking through his wet hair, holding his face to mine.

My rain soaked dress clung so snugly it felt like he was touching my bare skin as his hands traveled down my sides, setting me on fire purely from the heat of his fingertips. With a firm tug of my hips he pulled my body close to his.

I had yet to even taste his tongue and I was already putty. A tiny whimper escaped my lips causing a low growl to leave his mouth.

Edroar had growled at me countless times, but feeling it happen against my lips was a whole new experience. The vibration was intensely erotic. I wanted to make him growl louder, harder, to make him roar….in pleasure, not anger.

Cool rain drops pounded down on us, but it did nothing to extinguish the heat I felt as his tongue invaded my mouth. It was wet and warm and tasted bit salty. He explored, licking me from the inside, savoring me like a favorite meal.

I moaned into his mouth and though it was utterly shameless I gently rubbed myself against him. I couldn't help it. A deeper, more savage growl rumbled in his chest, causing me to tingle all over. His hands clenched on to my hips so tightly there would definitely be a mark…his mark.

Why that thrilled me I had no idea.

The Lion devoured my mouth relentlessly until my lips were nearly numb. He bit down on my bottom lip before releasing it. I couldn't resist the urge to bite him back. Lifting up slightly on my toes I sunk my teeth down hard on his lower lip before letting it go.

"Fuck," he grumbled under his breath. His eyes remained closed, but they rolled beneath his lids.

My heart was racing at the reaction I provoked in him. I licked my lips before bringing my mouth back to his, this time slowly pulling in his top lip and biting down even harder.

Immediately I felt the distinct presence of a part of him I had yet to know. My body reacted on impulse, my eyes closed as my hips gravitated to the solid warmth that had suddenly appeared. I tried fighting the urge to dry hump him in the middle of the street, but resistance wasn't really an option at that point.

The fact that I began grinding myself against his very prominent erection like a cat in heat should have mortified me, but all rational thought was gone.

My eyes slowly fluttered open and found his blazing down at me. Usually his green eyes were cluttered with so many conflicting emotions, but in that moment I only saw one…lust.

The wind whipped through my hair, tossing it around.

Raw need flooded the Lion's darkened gaze. It was so forceful, so primal; I thought he was going rip my dress off and defile me right on the gritty streets of New York City.

But then his eyes clenched shut, the sound of our heavy breathing was all that could be heard.

Our faces were close, lips lightly touching. Once his breathing had calmed he released the vice grip he had on my hips. His eyes opened and I could see he was still struggling to regain control.

He cleared his throat. "Did I hurt you?" His voice was hoarse.

I shook my head, unsure of what he was even talking about. "Hurt me? No, of course not, that was amazing."

My lips were completely numb and my body was tingling in all the right places. To be honest my hips were a little sore, though it was the most pleasurable pain I had ever known. They ached for his touch.

He stepped away from me slowly and ran a hand through his hair. "Ms. Swan…I —"

"Bella," I cut him off. "After what just happened I think we've evolved to a first name basis," I laughed at his stiff disposition.

"Bella," he whispered my name as though it were a secret. "That was not supposed to happen. I don't…I can't." His fingers slid down the side of his face. "I am not capable of what you require," he stated firmly, backing away from me.

"All I require is honesty." I hated seeing him in such turmoil. "Just tell me how you feel."

He thought over my words. "You deserve far more than I could give you." His tone was fiercely honest. He meant every word he said.

"Okay. I understand." The words fell out of my mouth without hesitation.

"You do?" His brow furrowed.

I nodded at his confused face. "Yes. I would never expect you to give more than you're comfortable with. Neither of us deserves that."

Honestly, I didn't even know what I was comfortable with. A few hours before I wanted us to be Oprah and Gayle. I was just as blindsided as he was and certainly not looking to push him into anything.

My rain soaked body quickly felt the full effect of the cool evening breeze as it whirled around us. Since he was no longer keeping me warm I started to shiver. Edroar noticed and pulled out his phone, calling his driver.

Within minutes we were sitting in a warm, dry limo. The Lion looked so distracted sitting there dripping water on the plush leather seats. I wanted to know what he was thinking. An uncomfortable silence surrounded us. It was driving me insane.

"Can I ask you a question?" I side eyed the Tyrant. Green eyes flickered to mine as he nodded.

"Did you mean it when you said you didn't want me to quit?"

Edroar leaned back into his seat. "I did."

"Do you still mean it?" I asked, unsure of the answer.

He sighed deeply. "I do."

"That's good," I smiled. "Because I honestly don't know what you would do without me." A slight pain twinged my sides as I laughed teasingly, trying to ease the awkwardness.

But he wasn't laughing. In fact he looked quite serious. "You're going to continue working for me?" He was stunned.

"Yes, even though you're incredibly frustrating I think we work well together." I held up two fingers, "but I have two non-negotiable conditions."

"Go on." He waited my response.

"I won't be your whipping post." All traces of humor left my voice. "I promise to do my best to respect your authority, but if you roar at me I am going to roar back."

A smirk lifted the corners of his lips. "You are going to respect my authority?" He seemed highly skeptical.

"I am very respectful to those who deserve it," I noted truthfully.

"Tell me your other condition," he commanded. The Tyrant never stayed away long.

"No awkwardness between us. We're both adults. If I make you uncomfortable in any way just tell me and I'll do the same with you." I shrugged at how obvious that should be.

I was always an extremely straightforward person. I had no idea why we just nearly had sex on the streets of Manhattan in the pouring rain, but there was no way I could continue working for him if I had to walk on egg shells because of it.

"Agreed," he said smoothly, "But I have two non negotiable conditions of my own."

My legs crossed as I slid back into my seat. "Go on," I ordered.

His face moved closer to mine. "You will never," he grabbed my eyes with force, "under any circumstances compare me to Oprah Winfrey again." He was completely serious.

Holding back a laugh, I scoffed. "Fine, but I'll have you know most people would consider that to be a compliment."

"Most people are morons," he snorted arrogantly.

I shook my head at his snobbery. "Tell me your other condition."

Edroar's face flashed several emotions before landing on annoyance.

"When someone is approaching you on a dark, deserted street you do not just stand there like senseless prey," he spat out angrily.

"I was planning to protect myself," I argued calmly.

"Really, exactly how were you going to do that?" His jaw tightened as he stared me down.

"I was going to punch you in the face." My smooth demeanor was in direct contrast to his.

"That is absurd." His face reddened. "As if you could take down an assailant with those fists." He glared at my manicured fingers with disgust. "What if I had a weapon?"

I shrugged him off. "I can't live my life on what ifs." Worrying wasn't really my thing, though that moment did make me realize just how defenseless I actually was. "If it makes you feel any better as soon as I find the time I promise to become a ninja."

Suddenly I noticed my shoes; well Angela's shoes, were filled with wet leaves and Lord knew what else. They were totally ruined. I lifted my leg to fully assess the damage.

"Look at me!" Edroar demanded impatiently.

My eyes turned up to his. Jesus, he was so angry. I frowned at his scowling face. Would I ever understand the man?

"Your lack of self protection is unacceptable," he paused before adding, "in so many ways."

I lowered my foot to the floor. "That's odd because I find your abundance of self protection to be unacceptable," I paused before adding, "in so many ways."

He let out a low growl causing my body to tingle at the memory of how it felt against my lips.

"You need a massage," I stated the obvious. The man looked like he was about to snap at any second.

He glanced at his watch. "It's late."

"It will help you to sleep." I knew he needed a good night's rest. "Let me do my job," I persisted, smiling warmly at him.

He hesitated a few moments before nodding his approval.

"We'll need to shower first," I said as the car came to a stop. "Separately," I added, just to make things worse. "You know since we're so wet," I had to laugh at my own ridiculous babbling.

He laughed too. Good Lord, it was boyish. Who would ever guess his laughter would be so sweet and melodic. That fact that I made him laugh had me grinning like a fool.

There was good in him, I was sure of it.

* * *

After a lightning fast shower I threw on the Powerpuff Girls t-shirt Emmett gave me for my birthday and a pair of black leggings.

I pulled my hair up in a loose ponytail before heading out the door. Of course I had no clue where I was going. Not wanting to disturb poor Jenks so late at night I asked Edroar for directions. The penthouse map he quickly sketched for me was extremely impressive.

The massage room wasn't very different from the one in Seattle.

However, the view of Manhattan in the moonlight took my breath away. I went right to work prepping for my boss's arrival, just as I had finished I felt his distinct presence behind me.

With a welcoming smile on my face I spun around.

There he stood, towering over me in dark gray sweatpants and a tight white shirt, freshly showered, hair a beautiful bronze mess. Damn it. I wanted to kiss him. Frantically I pushed that thought from my mind.

Like a flash I was at the door. "Get undressed. I'll come for you in a minute."

Why did that sound so dirty? I said those words to countless clients. I needed to get a grip or this was not going to work.

Before he could even respond I slammed the door shut and threw myself against it. No awkwardness. It was one of my conditions. I honestly didn't' think it would be so hard. I took calm centering breaths and tried pulling myself together.

After a scathingly brutal self pep talk I re-entered the room somewhat reluctantly. The Lion was lying on the table as expected. I quickly made my way over to him now wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. His eyes opened when I reached his side. He looked me over silently and smirked.

"What?" I questioned defensively.

"Is there a particular reason bug eyed children are on your clothing?" he asked calmly.

I looked down at my shirt. "They're superheroes," I explained straight faced.

"Of course they are." He shook his head before closing his eyes.

"It was a birthday present." I adjusted the sheet around him.

His eyes opened. "From Jazz?"

My head tilted. "No." How did he know Jasper? "Emmett gave it to me," I laughed. "For some crazy reason I remind him of Buttercup." I pointed to the freaky dark haired little girl on my shirt.

He nodded as though that made perfect sense to him and closed his eyes.

"It's a silly comparison, obviously," I stated as I dimmed the lights.

He lay there smirking with his eyes closed.

"When is your birthday?" I asked while reaching for the massage lotion.

His body stiffened. "I don't…have one."

"Of course you have one." I poured the lotion into my hands and rubbed them together. "You don't celebrate it?"

The moment the words left my lips I wanted to choke myself. The man had no friends. Who the hell would he celebrate it with?

"No. Definitely not," he stated bitterly.

And just like that the mood shifted from jovial to tense. I decided to lighten it as best I could. My goal was to relax him not push him over the edge.

"Pfft…birthdays are for wussies," I scoffed, as my hands touched down on his cool skin. "People like Oprah Winfrey celebrate them, who of course is nothing like you," I added sweetly, holding back a laugh.

The Lion's lips twitched as he fought off a grin. Such a stubborn man. I let out a small sigh of relief as his muscles loosened beneath the warmth of my fingertips. Within minutes I was in a zone. Unfortunately it wasn't the artistic trance I usually drifted into.

I wandered into an unknown place.

Technically all of my movements were exactly the same, yet somehow everything felt different. My fingers weren't just touching his body they seemed to be caressing it and though I wasn't doing anything remotely unprofessional I couldn't deny the feel of his skin was a pleasurable sensation for me.

Perhaps it was my imagination.

I comforted myself with that thought for quite a while, until I realized Edroar hadn't fallen asleep. Normally he would have been snoring loudly within seconds. Not only was he awake, but his body was highly responsive to my touch, that was new.

The vibe became more and more intense. I wish I could say it felt wrong. It probably should have felt wrong…but it didn't.

There were no graphic images, no obscene thoughts flashing through my mind, just an undeniable sensual current that was impossible to ignore.

It was so strong.

Actually, it was the first time I ever felt a reciprocal energy from him during a massage. Each client had a unique vibe. That was one of the aspects I enjoyed most about my work. But Edroar always fell asleep, closing off that connection between us.

Now I was in uncharted territory.

I found myself mesmerized by the rhythm of his uneven breathing, the way he swallowed more forcefully when I touched the back of his thighs or how his lips parted slightly as I kneaded the knots in his shoulders.

I spent extra time catering to him. He was incredibly tense. When the session was over it was definitely a plus that I didn't have to scream my head off to wake him up.

Softly I whispered. "Mr. Cullen, our session is complete."

His eyes opened and found mine. "I thought we evolved to a first name basis."

"Oh, right," I smiled at his words. "Edward, our session is complete."

The Tyrant looked exhausted, though I could see he was more relaxed. I felt a pang of accomplishment for that.

"Do you still want your morning session?" I asked as I began cleaning up. He certainly didn't look in any rush to get off the table and it was nice to see him at ease.

"Absolutely." He rolled onto his back and stretched his arms above his head. "That was exquisite. The best I've ever had. Obviously you have been holding out on me." His sleepy grin was crooked, yet still managed to be charming.

"Definitely not, though I bet being conscious during the session may have made a difference." I noted while turning on the light.

His eyes watched me as I continued to straighten up. "Perhaps," he agreed. "Stop cleaning. I'll have Carmen take care of it. We need to get to bed."

"Separately," I pointed out with a laugh.

"Of course." Mischief lit up his eyes.

Good Lord he was in a playful mood. A goofy smile was plastered on my face. "I don't mind cleaning up. It's part of my job."

"Is there any command I can give you that you will obey?" he wondered aloud.

I coughed on air. "Obey?" My eyes grew wide. "What am I a dog?"

He rose up, resting his upper weight on his elbows. "Don't be ridiculous. Obedience is not exclusive to animals."

I wiped down the supply cabinet before placing the massage lotion in it. Then I turned to face the Lion, who was watching me intently.

"I just don't understand your fixation with bossing people around." I stalked over to the table. "I mean I get that you like to be in charge and relish being a leader, but do you seriously want people to just obey your every command without question?"

"Yes," he answered instantly. "What type of leader would want to command people who don't follow orders?"

"An open minded leader," I replied truthfully, "one that understands his minions might need a bit of free will. Perhaps they are even capable of forming constructive ideas."

Fire flickered between our eyes as he took in my words. I expected him to shoot venom my way, but instead he pulled his intense gaze from mine.

"Do you know how to get back to your room?" He asked calmly, not looking at me.

"Yes, I have the map you gave me." I glanced over at the counter where I placed it.

"Good." Tired green eyes returned to mine. "We're finished here. Report back to this room at eight sharp."

"Yes Sir." I bowed at him like a peasant before her king.

After a few seconds of silence he said. "I don't bring minions to my favorite restaurant or chase after them in the pouring rain to apologize for being a heartless bastard."

The honesty in his tone was clear as glass.

I couldn't help but frown at his torment filled face. His eyes were weary and bloodshot. Walking to the counter I picked up my map before making my way over to the door. I turned back to face him after opening it.

"I don't dry hump heartless bastards in the middle of the street." A smirk touched my lips. "Arrogant Fat Cats yes, heartless bastards never."

As I closed the door I caught a glimpse of his sly grin. Why I was flirting with my boss was beyond me. At that moment I was too tired to scold myself for such inappropriate behavior.

* * *

Damn that rain soaked kiss!

It replayed in my mind continuously as I tossed and turned in bed. No matter how many times I pushed it away it reappeared. I was not a slut, but I had a few kisses in my life, some sweet, some passionate. None of them were remotely comparable to what that man unleashed on me.

As he made clear, it wasn't supposed to happen…for so many reasons. Good reasons, logical reasons. The few hours I managed to drift off to sleep were filled with dreams of our infuriatingly unforgettable kiss.

Before I knew it my alarm was going off.

While showering I concluded it was just the thrill of the moment that made it so amazing. If we ever kissed again it would be awful. It was definitely a onetime fluke. Nothing that incredible could ever happen more than once.

As I ran the soapy loofah across my stomach I noticed the bright pink imprint of my boss's fingers on my hips, my eyes flickered up to the still visible bite mark on my breast. I was a branded woman. Why that made me smile really should have worried me.

There was no doubt I needed deep therapy.

Running just on time, I threw on the first thing I saw and headed out the door, penthouse map in hand. It was my last day in New York and I had yet to do any actual sightseeing. We were leaving early the next morning.

Walking to the massage room I decided to power through my list of must see places right after the session was over. While prepping for the massage I considered inviting my boss to come along with me, but quickly tossed the idea aside.

There was no doubt he was busy with work and despite what happened the night before I still got the impression he had no intention of being my friend, though he did correct me when I called him Mr. Cullen.

His mood swings and mixed signals were way out of control. I glanced at the time. He was ten minutes late. That was odd. After waiting another ten minutes I started to worry.

If something had come up he would have had Jenks notify me.

He didn't look good the night before. Maybe he overslept. I hoped that was the case, but just to be sure I decided to ask Jenks. I went to the nearest wall panel and buzzed him.

Expecting his elegant English accent to come through the speaker, I jumped when instead it came from behind me.

"Ms. Bella, how can I be of assistance?" he asked, walking towards me.

"How did you…?" I looked back and forth between him and the panel. "Never mind," I laughed at his magical powers. "Have you heard from Mr. Cullen this morning? He hasn't shown up for his session."

"No. I am afraid I have not," he paused. "Though, Carmen did mention he wasn't at breakfast. Perhaps he had urgent business to tend to."

"No," I shook my head. "He would have cancelled our appointment. "I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket. There was no message from him. I called his number and got voice mail. "Can you show me to his room?" I asked politely.

"Yes, of course." He bowed before leading the way.

Once we reached the door I knocked…and knocked and knocked. No Lion. Where the hell was he? Jenks now seem concerned as well.

He contacted the security guard who informed us that Mr. Cullen hadn't left the penthouse nor had he gone for his morning workout, which they both found highly unusual. I kept knocking on his door and listening with my ear against it.

I asked the guard if he had a key to open it. He nodded looking apprehensive.

"If he's hurt it's your responsibility to protect him, open the door." I said impatiently.

Just the idea of Edroar being hurt panicked me far more than it rationally should have, but in that moment all I wanted was to see my boss.

"Open the door." I repeated firmly.

Reluctantly he did as I asked. Once the door was open I barreled past him. He wasn't in his office. I headed towards his bedroom. As I reached for the doorknob the guard halted me.

"I'll take care of this," he said dismissively. His arm blocked my way. He opened the door to the bedroom leaving me in the small hall between the two rooms with Jenks.

I waited for what felt like three hours before I couldn't take it anymore. I tried not to run as I made my way into the room. My heart was racing out of my chest, my mind flooded with worse case scenarios.

It took my eyes a few seconds to adjust to the dark room. The guard was on bended knee huddled over my boss who was lying on the floor near the bathroom.

There was no thought process. I was by his side instantaneously.

"OH, MY GOD!" I yelled as tears welled in my eyes.

The guard didn't respond. He was checking his vitals. "He's breathing," he said calmly.

I exhaled a deep breath and moved in closer. I wanted to see his face. He looked so pale and clammy. My fingers brushed the messy bronze hairs off his forehead. His skin was scorching hot.

"HE'S BURNING UP!" I was still yelling. I didn't panic often, but when I did screaming every word I said was the norm.

"I need help getting him to his bed. Go get Jenks," the guard ordered militantly.

"JENKS!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I didn't want to leave Edward's side.

The guard glared at me. My boss stirred. Jenks was beside me in a flash. The man was seriously supernatural.

After a bit of a struggle they managed to get him into bed. He was dead weight.

"I'll call the doctor," Jenks announced before disappearing.

I fluffed the pillows beneath Edward's head and settled him beneath the blanket. Then I hopped up on the bed so that I was sitting beside him. A light sheen of sparkling sweat covered his skin. I reached out my hand and placed my palm against his cheek. It was on fire.

He started murmuring lightly, his eyes still closed. I couldn't understand a word he was saying.

"Edward, rest," I whispered, brushing my fingers along the side of his face.

But he wasn't resting. His body stirred in agitation. "Sorry," he mumbled over and over again.

"Shhh…it's alright," I hushed soothingly, but he only got more aggravated.

I hadn't even realized the guard was still in the room until he cleared his throat behind me.

"I'll be back," he said as though I cared. I just nodded my head without taking my eyes off Edward.

I wanted to cool his burning skin, but I couldn't bring myself to leave his side. So I found the panel beside his bed and pressed the name Carmen. She answered immediately. After I explained the situation she offered to come right away.

Not much later a middle aged woman with a kind round face hurriedly entered the room with a rolling a cart of supplies. After thanking her profusely I took his temperature. It was frighteningly high. Somehow I managed to get him to swallow two Tylenol.

Carmen helped me prepare cold compresses and politely excused herself only after I promised to 'summon' her if I needed anything further.

Once she left. I looked down at my boss.

Edroar.

The Tyrant.

The Lion.

The Fat Cat.

As he laid there he looked like none of those things to me. His angelic face was so very deceiving. I knew he had a wicked temper. Not to mention a festering wound deep within his soul. There was definitely something dangerous about him.

But there was good too, I knew there was, no matter how much he persisted otherwise.

I wrung out the ice cold hand towel over the basin of water and gently placed it against his forehead. Then I wrung out another and began cooling off his body. As I ran the towel down the length of his arm his eyes fluttered open.

He struggled to focus on me, his long lashes blinking rapidly. I smiled down at him, so relieved to see those green eyes of his opening.

"Bella," he said my name as though it was his favorite word. He was definitely delirious with fever.

"You scared me," I scolded softly, still cooling his skin with the compress. "I knew you weren't feeling well last night. You work too hard and don't get enough rest."

His eyes were half glazed over and staring intently at my lips as I spoke.

"I kissed you last night," he said still staring at my mouth.

I shook my head. "No, I kissed you." More like assaulted him, but no need to be technical.

His eyes flickered up to mine. "Why must you be so beautiful?" The sincerity in his voice took me by surprise.

"Why must you be so delirious?" I chuckled as I lifted the towel from his forehead and gently wiped it along the sides of his face down to his neck.

His glassy eyes closed a few moments and then opened again finding mine. "I don't want to be your friend," he managed to say quite firmly.

"Right, I know. You've made that clear." I can't say his words didn't hurt. They did. But I did my best not to let it show.

"Ms. Bella, the doctor is on his way." Jenks materialized beside me, scaring me half to death.

"Oh good," I whispered softly in response. My boss had fallen back to sleep. He looked so much more peaceful than before.

I couldn't keep myself from fussing over him, fixing his blanket, feeling his forehead, adjusting the compresses. Jenks quietly excused himself from the room to refill the basin of ice water.

Needless to say there was no sightseeing for me that day. I barely moved from my spot beside Edward. By the time the doctor arrived his fever was completely gone.

After examining him he sighed deeply as he removed his thick rimmed eyeglasses. According to the doctor the high temperature was brought on by several factors, stress and exhaustion being the most dominant. He seemed well aware of the fact that Edward worked long hours, had trouble sleeping and often skipped meals.

When I questioned why he didn't just prescribe him a sleep aid he politely explained he wasn't at liberty to discuss the issue with me. He gave me his card and advised me to call him should his fever return or any other symptoms occur.

Before leaving he told me to do my best to ensure that he got plenty of rest and relaxation. Apparently the doctor knew the stubborn disposition of his patient because he didn't seem very optimistic that I would succeed.

The entire afternoon I stayed in his room watching him sleep.

Carmen came by around noon to bring lunch, such a sweet woman. I could see she had been well trained to take orders. She didn't bow like Jenks, though I had to literally command her to stop cleaning up my mess.

Sometime around nightfall my boss's eyes fluttered open. His sleepy gaze swept the room before landing on me.

"What are you doing here?" He asked in confusion.

"I…uh…was just making sure your fever didn't return." Suddenly I felt like a bit of a stalker.

"Why would you do that?" He was genuinely baffled.

"Because I was worried about you." The look on his face was making me feel like even more of a freak.

His brow furrowed slightly at this information.

"How are you feeling?" I fought the urge to check his forehead again.

"I'm fine," he cleared his throat. "What time is it?"

I looked at my watch. "It's just about six o'clock."

His eyes widened. "You can't be serious." He sat up and reached for the control panel beside the bed. He pressed the name Ms. Mallory.

"Sir." A feminine voice came across the speaker.

"Where are you?" The Lion seethed.

"I'm in the hall outside your office. I've been waiting to hear from you," was the response.

"Is the door locked?" He asked impatiently.

We heard a click. "No, it's open."

"Then go inside and wait for me," he ordered harshly.

"Yes, Sir." Her nervous reply was barely audible.

Edroar faltered slightly as he went to stand. He was still in a weakened condition and didn't like it one bit. I rolled the cart aside now feeling intrusive standing there in his personal space.

My boss stormed across the room without so much as glancing my way.

The Tyrant swung open his bedroom door with a loud bang. His dominating frame filled the doorway. All I wanted was to get the hell out of the room, but he was blocking me in. My eyes focused on the tall slender woman standing before him, she was looking down at her feet.

"Is that the contract?" he growled.

She slowly nodded her head.

"Give it to me." His control was slipping. I could see his back muscles tensing.

With shaky hands she handed him a folder, her gaze remained firmly on the floor.

He scanned page after page silently, though the tension that filled the room was so loud it was deafening.

"Unacceptable." I knew his eyes were shooting fire.

The woman had yet to look up. "I tried..."

"You tried what?" He threw the folder on the floor causing her to flinch.

"I tr...tried telling them that you wouldn't like it," she squeaked out meekly.

"Obviously you didn't try hard enough." He was livid.

"I'm sorry Sir. I…" her voice broke as she held back a sob.

"Where was Alec?" He cut her off coolly.

"He was stuck in traffic. I was the only one there. I tried calling you several times, but you didn't answer." Her eyes lifted, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Then you should have cancelled the meeting." The anger in his voice was palpable. "What made you think you could ever take my place?"

She just stood there frozen, eyes looking directly at his with horror.

"Answer me," he spat out venomously.

"They told me there was a deadline," she was crying like a child. "They said they didn't need you there."

He lowered his face closer to hers. As she looked up at him, her eyes widened dramatically. I could only imagine the murderous glare he was unleashing on her.

"Who are…they?" He asked with a soft eeriness.

"Umm…it was mostly the guy with the uh…white hair that has the Italian accent," she was so petrified she could barely speak. She wiped her runny nose with the back of her hand and sniffled.

"Get out," his arm extended, his finger pointing to the door.

She stood there, frozen in place, with the same petrified look on her face.

"GO!" He roared so loudly even I flinched.

She made a small screeching noise before scurrying away.

He stormed over to his office door and slammed it shut so hard I was surprised it didn't fall off its hinges. Then he stalked over to his desk.

Planning to leave him to his ridiculous tantrum I made my way to the door. Before I even grabbed the handle I heard his voice from behind me.

"Stop," he commanded in his bossy tone.

I rolled my eyes and turned to face him. "Yes?"

"Come here," he ordered.

"Why?" I was in no mood to argue with him if that's what he wanted.

"I want to talk to you before you go." He was trying not to snap at me, I could tell.

Slowly I made my way over to him. His face was reddened and his eyes were burning with rage, but he was actually fighting to control it. That was new.

"Why must you get so angry all the time?" I was genuinely curious.

He let out a deep sigh. "I have no tolerance for imbeciles."

"You think everyone is an imbecile," I laughed at his words.

He shook his head. "Not everyone," his eyes grabbed mine. "Thank you for watching out for me," he said with sincerity.

"You don't have to thank me. It's what…people do," I almost said friends, but caught myself at the last second.

"Not any of the people I know," he noted truthfully, still looking exhausted even after sleeping all day. He hadn't eaten and I wanted to check his temperature.

"You look tired and hungry," I stepped in closer to him.

"I am tired and hungry," he agreed with a slight grin.

"Go rest and I'll make you something to eat." There was no way I was going to bother Carmen. The poor woman couldn't work all day and night.

"I'll be fine. I have business to settle." A sinister look crossed his features.

"Yes. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. If you didn't sign the contract I seriously doubt it could have any validity." I glanced over at the pile of papers littered all over his floor.

"That is not the point," he grumbled.

"Uh yeah, I think it is." I nodded. "You threw a tantrum and scared the piss out of that poor woman over nothing."

"It's hardly nothing," he scoffed. "She should have known there was a problem when I didn't attend the meeting and cancel it at once."

"How was she supposed to know there was a problem if she couldn't find you?"

His brow arched. "You found me. Did you not?"

"Well yes, but that's just because I knew you would have cancelled our session, so it was obvious there was a problem."

"My point exactly," he turned to face his computer. "That woman is an imbecile and it has reflected poorly on me. It's unacceptable." He was typing furiously on the keyboard as he spoke.

"Even if that were the case, did you really need to make her cry like that?" The girl had snot running down her face for Christ's sake.

"What would you suggest I do, give her a puppy?" He asked with disgust. "Her pathetic sobbing solidified her incompetent business skills. It was intolerable."

He was so completely serious I had to smile at him. The man was angry with her for crying. The thought made me laugh out loud.

"Do I amuse you?" He stopped typing and side eyed me.

"Very much," I kept laughing and watched as a slight smile crept across his face. "I'm going to the kitchen to make you something to eat. Finish whatever evil thing you're doing and get back in bed." It was a direct command.

I fully expected him to fight me on it, but he just looked up with confusion in his eyes.

"You don't have to do that," he explained as though I were a moron.

"I know I don't have to," my eyes rolled. "I want to," I chuckled at his baffled expression as I turned to walk out the door.

Time was limited and I had no idea how to use the high tech appliances I was confronted with in his kitchen. So I went with the basics, grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup and a tall glass of ice water, quick and easy. I found a serving tray and headed back to his room.

Not surprisingly he wasn't in bed resting.

He was on his phone spewing venom. After firing whoever it was on the other end he disconnected the call and growled at the phone. I cleared my throat to capture his attention.

"You cooked for me?" He was shocked.

"Don't look so impressed. It's just soup and a sandwich," I laughed. "Now get in bed or there will be no dinner for you," I scolded, eyes narrowed.

He ran a hand through his hair and glared at his phone one last time before standing. "I can eat while I work." He reached for the tray.

I shook my head as I pulled it away from him. "Not a chance. No more working. You need rest. Get in bed." I pointed to his room.

He laughed at my serious face. "You're going to serve me dinner in bed?"

I nodded. "Yes, I'm a multi-functioning minion."

"I would hardly call you a minion." His smirk was devilish.

"You can call me whatever the hell you want as long as you get in bed." I headed for his room hoping he would follow…and to my surprise he did.

 

* * *

**A/N:**

Not gonna lie I seriously plotted the Lion's death several times while writing this chapter. My plan was to get them back home to Seattle. Apparently Edroar had other plans. You can see who prevailed in the end. He truly is a Tyrant.

Next up, Bella feeds the Fat Cat…in bed.

He wanted it and damn him he got it. I may have tried convincing her to poison his sandwich, but that crazy girl wasn't having it. She actually likes him. Go figure. They WILL return home next chapter. I swear it.

 **Fun Fact** : I seriously did not think it was possible, but I wrote my first one shot. It's a birthday present for my beloved beta. I'd love to know what you think. It's called PLUCKED. Be warned this E & B are totally insane. Thanks so much to Tkegl for the perfect banner.

 **Warm Hugs**   **to** : The pilot of the plane that's taking my spastic butt to Florida for vacation tomorrow. I'm not a fan of flying and have prepared for certain death.

 **Spastic Dry humping**  to anyone willing to offer me a kick ass fic rec to load on my Kindle for the flight. Only Edward can save me now.

**Visit** my blog to meet Jenks and take a peek into Edroar's wicked mind.

**That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think…it gives me fever.


	14. The Hungry Games

**A/N:**

Hi gang it's time to feed the Lion. He won't wait a minute longer. So I'll meet you guys down below.

 **Happymess:** If you were a Spice Girl you would be Super Beta Ninja Spice…I'd be Loopy Spice…or perhaps Old Spice, except that I'm 21…forever.

Caro2lalala& Djsmommie: You ladies rock my socks off with your awesome pre-reading skills

*DISCLAIMER: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight…I'm just a girl that drinks from a platypus*

 

* * *

_**Lights will guide you home…and ignite your bones…and I will try to fix you** _

_**\- Coldplay, Fix You** _

* * *

His footsteps padded down on the hardwood floor behind me.

Everything about the man was distinct. He walked over to his bed and settled under the covers without a word. I handed him the tray of food, taking the small plate I made for myself.

"This is totally unnecessary," he balked before biting into his sandwich.

"Says the man who collapsed on the floor from exhaustion." I grabbed my drink from his tray and sat in the chair beside him.

"I did not collapse," he huffed arrogantly.

"Of course you didn't. I'm sure you often sleep on the floor outside your bathroom."

"I don't often sleep," he noted dryly.

"The doctor could prescribe something for that you know." I side eyed him, placing my plate on the nightstand.

"Oh yes, I am aware of what doctors can prescribe." He lowered his spoon. "I won't become dependent on those types of drugs."

"You can't function properly without sleep." He had to know that, but he was too damn stubborn to admit it.

"I'm fine," his tone was firm, but his eyes were heavy from exhaustion. "Our flight will leave in the afternoon tomorrow. I have business to settle in the morning."

"Okay," I said after swallowing a bite of my sandwich. Maybe I could get in a few sights before we left. "Did you resolve the contract issue?"

"No. It will be taken care of." He had that sinister look that paralyzed people on the spot. The man could probably kill someone with his eyes.

"I have no doubt it will be," I smiled at his angry face, he didn't scare me and he knew it. "Are book negotiations usually so hostile? I always thought the publishing business was pretty placid."

"The publishing industry is highly competitive. In negotiations you either dominate or be dominated," he explained smoothly.

"It doesn't always have to be that way. There can be compromise," I argued. He saw things so black and white. I wondered if he knew other colors existed.

"Why would I compromise with an opponent?" he scoffed at the thought. "If I want something I eliminate the competition. Their mere existence is a threat."

"Or maybe if you worked together instead of against each other they wouldn't be a threat, they would be an ally," I reasoned logically, continuing to enjoy my grilled cheese sandwich.

"If they want the same thing I do they are a threat. I assure you I don't respond well to threats." His brow arched in warning.

"You compromised with me." I pushed him a little.

"That is completely different."

"Is it? If I recall correctly we negotiated the conditions of my employment last night, yet neither of us dominated."

"It's not comparable." He waved off my words. "There was no threat."

"You wanted me to be your massage therapist. I threatened to take that from you, but instead of dominating me into getting what you wanted you compromised."

"Dominating you into working for me would be highly unethical." His eyes caught mine. "There were extenuating circumstances that are not present when negotiating a publishing contract." He wiped his lips with his napkin.

"True," I agreed. He was probably never bitten and dry humped before entering a negotiation with anyone else. "But you must admit there are times when compromise is a viable option. That's all I'm trying to say. You don't always have to attack people so viciously."

"Says the girl that waited patiently to be assaulted on a dark abandoned street." His glare was scorching. He really was angry about that. I wondered why it bothered him so much.

"You're not going to let me live that down are you?" I sighed, wiping my hands with my napkin.

"It was completely unacceptable." His voice had that rumble that came on just before a growl.

"How about if we make a deal." I leaned in closer. "I promise to learn how to defend myself properly if you promise to eat and rest regularly."

He thought over my proposal carefully. "Will you be feeding me in bed?" A devious grin lit up his face.

"I don't recall saying I would be feeding you at all." My goofy smile was ridiculous, but I couldn't seem to wipe the damn thing off my face.

"Pity," he frowned. "That was the selling point of the deal."

I glanced down at his tray and noticed he finished every bit of his soup and sandwich as well as his glass of water.

"I'm sure any one of your servants would be willing to feed you in bed."

"Yes, they would," he agreed."But I prefer you."

Was he flirting with me? I couldn't be sure. He spoke as though it was a simple fact, but his stare was quite intense.

"You prefer me?" I repeated, sounding frazzled. How did he do that so effortlessly?

"Yes. Definitely." He nodded slowly.

"Why?" I asked in a bit of a daze.

"Because of your delicious," he moved in closer, "grilled cheese sandwich."

"What about my soup?" I whispered, staring into his eyes.

"It's hot." His gaze flickered to my lips, "with a bit of a kick," he leaned in closer, adding, "Just the way I like it."

He was definitely flirting. Was it wrong that I wanted to flirt back? Probably yes, but my mouth was moving before I could even process that thought.

"Do you like it only in bed?" I asked innocently, sipping my drink.

His eyes darkened. "I like it anywhere you will give it to me."

I choked as I swallowed my drink, coughing lightly. His grin was pure sin. The man was evil.

"And you don't want anyone else to….feed you?" His face was so close to mine.

He shook his head. "Just you."

"Do you have a large appetite?" I wondered aloud.

"Extremely." The word slipped from his lips like honey.

"Fuck," I breathed out, eyes wide open.

There was no doubt we were headed to a dangerous place, a very dangerous place. I couldn't think straight. I was just instinctively responding to him.

The sexual tension was so thick I could barely breathe without panting.

I wanted to kiss him. Hell, I wanted to do more than kiss him, but I definitely wanted to start with his lips. I didn't do it though. How could I even contemplate such a thing?

He was my boss, but that wasn't the main issue. That could be worked out. What couldn't be worked out was his obvious disgust at the thought of even being my friend. No matter how tempting he was I couldn't do meaningless sex.

Could I?

No. It was wrong. Yet, it didn't feel that way. It made no sense to me at all. While I was in a complete state of turmoil he looked cool as a cucumber, his green eyes brighter than I had ever seen them and staring directly into mine.

"Bella?" The sound of my name coming from his lips made me want to do things…bad things.

"Yes?" I took a calm centering breath.

"Do you…feed anyone else?" he asked with great interest.

"Yes." I nodded casually.

His face hardened immediately.

"My cat, Yikes, relies on me for all her meals." I smirked playfully as his eyes narrowed in displeasure.

"What about Jazz?"

His question threw me. "You know Jasper?"

"Jasper?" he snorted arrogantly. "That is a ridiculous name."

"What? It is not." I glared at him. "Actually, Jasper is a cherished gemstone with therapeutic powers if you must know."

"Really?" He seemed impressed. "How interesting. It is also the most absurd name I have ever heard."

"I think it's a unique and beautiful name. How do you even know him?"

"I don't." He leaned away from me, breaking the moment.

"So then why are we talking about him?" My head tilted to the side.

"You were flirting with him on the phone last night," he had the nerve to say.

My mouth dropped open. "Are you serious?"

"Do I not look serious?" He did. He looked more than serious. He looked annoyed. Sometimes the man was a complete mystery to me.

"Jasper is the most important person in my life. He's my closest friend." I knew he couldn't possibly understand it. He never had a friend, especially not one like Jazz.

"Are you sleeping with him?" he asked bluntly.

"Um…no definitely not." Was he still delirious? Then a thought occurred to me. "Would it matter if I were?"

That caught him off guard. He opened his mouth to speak and then quickly closed it. He ran a hand through his ruffled hair as he moved further away.

"No." He shook his head. "It wouldn't matter at all."

"Then why did you want to know?" I eyed him curiously.

"It was just a simple question. Did I offend you?"

"No," I said truthfully. "You would be stunned by how much it takes to offend me."

There really were no limits to offensive questions with my friends, though I liked that he asked. It made me smile. My smile was not returned. His walls sprung up without warning, shutting me out in a flash. I couldn't help but wonder why. It seemed he could be triggered for no reason at all. I had never known a more frustrating person.

"You better get a good night's sleep if you're going to dominate some ass in the morning," I practically shouted as I stood up to put the dishes on the rolling cart beside me.

He coughed so loud I worried he was getting sick again. I was bent over the cart struggling not to drop the dishes I was holding as I spun around. His face was reddened and he was clearing his throat profusely. Quickly, I refilled his glass with water and handed it to him.

"Do not even consider going back to work when I leave," I warned sternly as he chugged the water down.

Why I felt so protective of him I really didn't know. I fought the urge to check his temperature as I left his side. He just seemed so alone and uncared for. I knew exactly how that felt.

I wouldn't go as far as saying his bark was worse than his bite.

It wasn't.

I experienced both and his bite was pretty damn fierce. He could be downright cruel and insensitive at times, yet, I saw good when I looked at him. Not just saw…I felt it. The man was flawed, there was no doubt, but he wasn't all dark.

"You should take your temperature you're flushed." I couldn't stop myself from saying as I stood in his doorway watching him lay in bed.

"I'm fine," was his curt reply.

"Right, but still just check it." I knew he wouldn't. "Oh and finish your water. You're probably dehydrated."

The slight smile that brushed his lips took me by surprise. "Perhaps I should get you a puppy."

My hand went to my hip. "Fine, I won't worry about you anymore."

"Why would you worry about me?" He was genuinely curious.

"Because…" I paused, unsure of how to respond, then deciding to just be honest. "I see good in you." I admitted in one quick breath.

"Do you?" His smile disappeared instantly. "Then perhaps I should get your eyes examined."

"That's not necessary." my fingers gripped the door knob firmly. "I can see quite clearly you're filled with anger and pain. The intensity of it scares everyone away, but what's even clearer to me is your capacity to feel so much more…if you let yourself."

Before he could respond I closed the door, wanting him to think over my words; hoping he would.

* * *

The following morning I managed to take in a few sights before we left, heading straight to Strawberry Fields, where I may have hugged a tree, while softly humming _Imagine_ …it was an emotional experience.

Around five that afternoon a car came and brought me to the plane, where I sat waiting my boss's arrival. Mandy, the curvaceous flight attendant immediately offered me a drink while I waited…and waited.

Three drinks and over an hour later Edward's gloating presence filled the doorway. I was surprised his head fit through. His sly grin was infectious and a bit sexy if I was being completely honest.

"What would you like to drink, Sir?" Mandy thrust her maracas straight up in his direction; subtlety was not one of her strong points.

"Black Velvet," he replied not even looking her way.

"Are we celebrating?" Her smile couldn't be more flirtatious.

"I am celebrating. You are working." He walked away before she could respond.

The large leather recliner I was sprawled out in was insanely comfortable. I watched as my boss strode towards me. Damn he was such an arrogant bastard. Slowly I sipped my martini, I rarely drank them, but it felt like New York to me.

"Sit up. We're going to take off any minute," he commanded as he sat down beside me.

I pulled myself up taking in his radiant grin. "So did you compromise?"

"Of course," he said smoothly. "Then we all held hands and sang  _Kumbaya_."

"Very funny." I put my drink down and focused my attention on him. "How many people have you fired today?"

He pondered my question. "None."

"Really?" My eyes widened in shock. "How many have you made cry?"

"I do not make people cry." He slipped off his suit jacket and draped it over the back of the seat. "Their lack of emotional control is not my responsibility."

"Such a softy," I teased.

"Buckle up," he said holding back a grin.

Grabbing the buckle I attempted to click it shut, but it was broken. After trying several times I gave up in frustration and reached for my drink.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking a sip of my drink," I explained the obvious.

"We are about to take off. Buckle your seat belt." He looked annoyed.

"It's broken." I lifted the two ends to show him.

"No it's not," he argued.

"Yes it is." I struggled to clasp it together again, but it just wouldn't click.

"Let me see." He reached over and before I knew it his hands were in my lap trying to fasten the seat belt.

I started to giggle.

There were only three spots I was ticklish, the base of my neck, behind my knees and just beneath my belly button. My hips squirmed up and down zealously as he tried buckling the belt. I couldn't stop the giggling. It was uncontrollable and becoming painful.

"Please!" I finally pleaded for him to stop, but he didn't.

"Sit still," he scolded impatiently, if I didn't know better I would swear he was enjoying my discomfort, but he couldn't possibly be that cruel.

"Please! Please! Please!" I kept begging through desperate gasps of air.

Just as I was about to pour my drink on his head the belt clicked. Instantly he removed his hands. I let out an exhausted sigh before flopping myself against the window completely spent, I tried to glare at him, but the wicked boy grin on his face made me smile instead.

A throat cleared above us.

Mandy was standing there holding his drink with a stunned look on her face.

"Your drink, Sir." Her widened eyes darted back and forth between us. "I'm going to the cock pit to give you two some privacy. Buzz me if you need me."

He waved her off after taking his drink.

"What the hell did she mean by that?" I whisper shouted as she sauntered away.

"Who?" He set his drink down after taking a swig, slowly lifting his eyes to mine.

"Mandy." I was still whispering.

He shrugged. "I have no idea. I wasn't listening to a word she said."

"She's going to the cockpit…to give us some privacy. Why would she do that?"

He stretched out his long legs before him. "I don't know, but if you would like to ask her be my guest."

My eyes rolled. "She thinks we're sleeping together."

"So," was his response.

I gaped at him. "So? That doesn't bother you?"

"Why would it bother me? I don't care what she thinks," he said with complete sincerity.

"She thinks I'm a slut," I huffed.

"Sleeping with me would make you a slut?" His eyes bore deeper into mine.

"Yes…I mean no. I don't know." He was confusing me, damn it. "I'm not a slut," I said defensively.

"Of course you're not," he agreed with me, "unless we sleep together." His charming grin was in direct contrast to my sour face.

Edward was in a playful mood and I was glad since we were in for a long flight. It didn't take long for me to decide I shouldn't care what Mandy or anyone else thought of me. If I could live with my decisions that was all that mattered.

"Don't look so smug," I warned. "It would make you a dishonorable manwhore."

"Would it?" he asked as I nodded. "I've been called far worse than that." He snubbed his nose up high causing me to laugh out loud.

The force of take off pushed me back in my seat. I wanted to paste my face against the window but I refrained, though my eyes were firmly locked on the tiny gateway to the sky. The view was breathtakingly beautiful. The sun was just setting on the horizon.

"Look!" I exclaimed poking Edward without taking my eyes from the window. "It's so beautiful."

"It is," he agreed.

I stared out the window, enjoying my drink until it was dark. When I turned to look back at my boss he was holding a document, scanning it intently, brow furrowed deep in concentration.

"Do you ever relax?" I asked, frowning at him.

He looked up after a few moments. "Not if I can help it."

"You are impossible," I groaned in frustration. "What do you do for fun?"

"Work," he stated before returning his attention to the document.

"When was your last vacation?"

"I don't take vacation," he replied without looking up.

I peaked over his shoulder, wondering what the hell was so damn interesting. It was a contract filled with boring legal mumbo jumbo. That was his idea of fun?

After I finished my drink I decided to somehow get the man to enjoy something…anything other than work. It wasn't healthy for him to never relax or have fun. I reached for my buckle and thankfully managed to open it.

I wandered around until I found the bar. Talk about an impressive wine collection. I was certainly no expert, but when I first moved to Seattle I helped Jake out at the casino bar between gigs. I never understood how people could spend so much money on a bottle of alcohol, though I always wondered how it would taste.

Now I would know.

I grabbed a bottle that was familiar to me and a small cheese platter I found in the fridge. After roaming around a bit more I discovered wine glasses, and a corkscrew. Using the table closest to us I placed the platter, wine and glasses down while my boss sat in the same position I left him, fully engrossed in his work.

As I popped the cork on the bottle his eyes rose up instantly taking in the scene before him.

"Break time." I smiled invitingly. "You need to eat something."

He lowered the document to his lap. "Always so eager to feed me." The crooked grin on his face was lethal.

"If I recall correctly you prefer me to feed you…just me," I replied smugly.

"True," he nodded. "Cheese?" Somehow he managed to make the word sound sexy.

"Yes. Do you want it?" I sliced off a small piece and brought it to my lips as he watched.

"I do," he said with such intensity it was clear he wasn't talking about dairy.

"Then put your work away and take a break," I sliced off another piece and slowly walked over to him, holding it just out of his reach as I glanced down at the document in his lap disapprovingly.

"Feed me," he commanded, his eyes searing into mine.

"Put away the work," I directed, equally commanding, losing myself in the moment.

Our stare was locked, my heart beating faster than the plane was traveling and then without looking away, he did it. He pushed the document away. Something so small, yet it felt huge to me.

Before he could blink my fingertips were at his mouth. His lips parted giving me a slight glimpse of his tongue. I wanted to taste that mouth again, dying to know if it could be a fraction as incredible as it was before. Instead I placed the tiny piece of cheese between his lips and watched as he sucked it in, swallowing it whole.

Mandy was right.

I was a slut.

Based on the wicked thoughts running through my mind in that moment, but I couldn't stop them. To be honest I wasn't even trying. His intensity drew me in. The danger, always present, was irresistible to the masochist in me.

"More." His firm command broke me from my thoughts.

I turned and walked over to the table feeling his eyes on me the entire way. I picked up the platter and walked back to him. His gaze travelled down landing on the grapes at the center of the plate before rising to meet mine again.

I pulled a grape from the bunch and held it just above his lips.

Then I began to lightly guide it as though it were my lips on his. Gentle at first, I brushed it against his mouth, watching in fascination as he reciprocated, wrapping his lips around it, the warmth of his breath heating up the delicate skin of the small fruit.

My own lips began to tingle as he bit down hard into it, savoring the taste for a few heart stopping moments, before swallowing it with one large gulp.

It had to be the most erotic thing I had ever seen.

His lips were glistening with the sweet juices left behind. I never wanted to kiss someone so badly in my life. But I spontaneously kissed him once before and though I didn't regret it I couldn't do it again, no matter how much I wanted it…and I wanted it.

From the look in his eyes he did too.

They were burning into mine, demanding me to kiss him. I could see it. I could sense it. His beautifully damaged green eyes felt everything I was feeling. And though it may sound crazy there was a gravitational pull towards him, as though some unseen force was luring my body to his.

It took strength I didn't even know I possessed not to straddle his hips and give in to the hunger I felt for him. He asked me to feed him and in that moment it was all I wanted to do, but he had to drop his walls and let me in.

I would reciprocate. Lord, how I would reciprocate, but this time he had to make the first move.

His penetrating stare bore into me relentlessly. The man could grab you with his eyes, demand things of you with them, probably eat you alive with them.

I waited frozen in place holding his intense gaze, breathing so hard I actually heard it.

Slowly he smacked his lips together, ridding them of the juices I so badly wanted to lick off. Disappointment flashed across his features as he pulled his eyes from mine. He grabbed the document he had been reading and glanced back up at me.

"Delicious little snack," he emphasized the word little before lifting the paper and going back to work.

I wanted to dump the platter on his head, but I refrained. If he wasn't willing to make the first move then a little snack was all he would get. Somehow I managed to walk back to the table seemingly unaffected by the moment we just shared.

As I poured myself a glass of obscenely expensive wine and took a seat beside him I saw the situation clearly. He gave me mixed signals constantly, pulling me in and then pushing me away like a yo-yo.

If he wasn't such a deeply wounded man I would tell him to go straight to Hell, but how could I do that when he was already there. He needed to work out whatever demons were tormenting him. I hated that he thought he had to fight them alone.

No friends.

I couldn't fathom such a thing, but that was how he wanted it. He was so God damn stubborn I could scream. I glanced over at him working intently. My chest felt a heaviness to it as I tried to imagine what on earth could have damaged him so badly.

Did I really want to know?

The answer was yes, but the true question was how far into the darkness was I willing to go to find the light?

* * *

Getting to work on time the next morning was no easy accomplishment. We got in very late and I wasn't able to sleep on the plane. Stepping out of the limo once we reached my apartment I gave my boss a warm smile and waved as I said goodnight to him.

His eyes met mine for the first time since his in flight…snack. To my surprise a faint smile touched his lips as he advised me to report to work at eight sharp.

The gang was eagerly awaiting my arrival in the lobby which was odd since they usually weren't there so early.

"She's alive!" Jessica screeched, clapping her hands with glee.

"But is he?" Emmett's brow rose. "My money was on Bella."

"She sure could use it." Mike looked me over distastefully. "Do you even own an article of clothing from this decade?"

I glanced down at his skinny legs. "I'm sorry, I don't take fashion advice from men wearing blue stretch pants."

"Aqua." He threw me a bitch brow. "They make my eyes pop and my booty stop traffic."

I laughed hysterically as his hips swayed back and forth.

"Looks like you two missed each other." Rose shook her head, smiling. "So how was your trip, Bella?"

"It was good," I said with a casual shrug. I wasn't sure how much of it I wanted to share with them just yet, particularly Aqua Man.

"You missed our first rehearsal," Jessica pouted. "The talent show is only six weeks away." She ran over to her desk in her pink leopard print stilettos and pointed to something on the wall.

I walked over to where she was. She was pointing to a Sir Mix -A -Lot calendar. Who knew there was such a thing? Not me.

"Nobody panic," Emmett said from beside me. "We have plenty of time."

They all let out a deep breath. They really were stressed about the competition, the one I nearly forgot about. I couldn't blame them though, the payoff was huge.

"I promise I won't miss the next rehearsal," I said with an eager smile. "But right now I better get to the massage room before Edward gets there."

I made it about three steps when the group of them yelled, "EDWARD?" In unison.

I glanced over my shoulder at them. "Yes, Edward…our boss."

Emmett shook his head. "No, our boss is Mr. Cullen. Who might be this Edward fellow you speak of?"

"He's the same man. We evolved to a first name basis on the trip." I tried to play it off smooth.

"Oh, did you now?" Mike pranced over to me. "Are you aware the name Edward means wealthy protector? It's a fabulous name."

Emmett snorted. "At least he lives up to half of it. The guy has more money than God, but protector?" His eyes rolled dramatically. "Mr. Cullen doesn't care about a damn thing but himself and his mighty empire."

They all nodded in agreement.

"Maybe that's because it's all he has." I took a step closer to them. "Why would he want to protect people who mock him every chance they get?"

My hands were on my hips and I felt my bitch eyes in full force. Their mouths hung open. It was silent for an uncomfortable amount of time before Jessica finally spoke.

"Does he know we mock him?" She looked petrified.

"Of course he does." I was unreasonably angry. I sensed it had little to do with them, but I couldn't stop myself. "Do you think he's an idiot? You want him treat you better? Well, it works both ways."

"Hey, hey, hey!" Emmett yelled. "He's the one that storms around here roaring at people and making them cry. How can we be expected to like him?"

"Has it occurred to any of you that there could be a reason he's so angry?" I toned down my glare. I wasn't being fair to them and I knew it. "Look, I don't expect you to like him. I highly doubt he wants you to. All I'm saying is sometimes there's more to a person than meets the eye."

"Alright." Mike sucked his teeth as his neck swiveled. "Spill it spinster. What happened on the trip? Did the filthy New York air warp your brain?"

"Nevermind," I sighed. "Forget I said anything."

"No." Rose stepped closer to me. "You have an excellent point, Bella. Sometimes there really is more to a person than meets the eye. Mr. Cullen is such a feared man in this building he's become inhuman to us. But he is human. I promise to try and remember that."

Her warm smile and sincere words doused my fire immediately. "Thank you, Rose. I'm sorry for the way I acted guys. It must be jet lag. I should get to work. Will I see you at lunch?"

They nodded, still looking completely baffled by my strange outburst. What was wrong with me? I hadn't a clue or the time to ponder it.

* * *

By lunch that day things were back to normal with the gang. Work fell into a comfortable routine. Other than being on a first name basis with my boss not much had changed between us. Although he did stay awake during his massage sessions and had yet to miss a single one.

There was no more flirting. No pulling me in and pushing me away. In fact, he barely spoke to me at all. Though I did catch him watching me quite intently on more than a few occasions and I often sensed there were things left unsaid; thoughts he wanted to verbalize to me, but he didn't.

Or maybe it was just my imagination.

He was still a hot tempered tyrant, workers fleeing his office in tears on a daily basis. Just the sound of his voice paralyzed his employees on the spot. I stopped trying to be his friend. It was a ridiculous idea to begin with.

I just hated the fact that he was completely alone. To be honest, I still worried about him way more than I should have. I bit my tongue several times, dying to ask if he was eating regularly and sleeping at night.

Then I remembered our deal.

It had been almost two weeks since we got back from New York and I had yet to keep up my end of the bargain. I ran down the hall and found Peter just returning from lunch. When I told him I wanted to learn a few self defense moves he generously offered his expertise.

I discovered Kickboxing…was hard. Really hard. Edward made it look so easy. Thankfully, Peter was very patient with me. I wound up making a fool of myself more than anything.

While attempting a roundhouse kick for the third time I ended up doing a warped somersault cartwheel concoction that landed me flat on my back. Peter burst out laughing hysterically. I couldn't help but join in.

He fell over on the mat next to me. Becoming a ninja might take a little more time than I expected. My hair was all over my face. He pushed it away still laughing at my smooth move. He stood up and held a hand out to me which I quickly grabbed. He brought me up to my feet and held me steady as I wobbled a bit.

His hands were on my waist, keeping me from falling over. Apparently unexpected acrobatics made me slightly dizzy because the room had a slant to it. I gripped his shoulders to stay grounded.

My eyes closed momentarily. That was a bad idea. I swayed in his arms completely off balance. As my eyes flew back open they landed on the door. My boss was standing there.

He wasn't happy.

I knew many of his expressions. This one I had never seen before, but he definitely wasn't happy. He stormed across the room before I could blink.

"What is going on here?" He glared at Peter murderously.

"I was just showing Bella some moves," he replied. "But she's not exactly a fast learner."

"Perhaps if her instructor spent more time instructing and less time flirting the lesson would be more constructive." His eyes were dark as coal, they scanned down to Peter's hands on my waist before snapping back up at him.

He released me immediately. I swayed a bit but wasn't nearly as off balance as when I first stood up. Then I felt Edward's hands on my waist.

"Are you alright?" His voice sounded concerned. It took me by surprise.

I nodded dumbly. Between his close proximity and the way he was looking at me I was frazzled on the spot.

"Are you sure?" He didn't seem convinced.

How could I tell him that other than being spellbound by his presence I was fine? I tried pulling myself together, but it wasn't easy. His fingertips on my waist were like a natural aphrodisiac. My eyes flickered up to his lips which were frowning down at me.

I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and pull those lips to mine and kiss that frown away. As a matter of fact, I was just about to do that when someone cleared their throat beside me.

Oh, it was Peter. I had forgotten he was there.

"Should I leave you two alone?" he asked awkwardly.

"Uh...no…no. I should go," I mumbled like an idiot. What the hell was I doing?

Edward seemed hesitant to release me at first, but after assuring him I was perfectly alright he removed his hands from my waist, then he turned his stare to Peter.

"Are you ready for a work out?" His eyes were filled with mischief.

"Of course." Peter clapped his hands together. "Let me just grab my gear."

As he walked away I glanced at my boss who looked utterly devilish standing there in black gym shorts and a white t-shirt. Why that appealed to me was a mystery left unknown. For some reason I was drawn to his wicked side.

"Will you have time for your afternoon massage?" I tried ignoring the attraction I felt to him, but it was so powerful.

"Absolutely," he replied. "Unless you're not feeling up to it. I saw you fall. You could have been seriously injured."

"I'm fine. Really, I promise. It's all part of being a ninja." I smiled warmly.

He actually smiled back. A genuine smile and I knew I needed to get the hell away from him before I round housed his sweet ass to the mat and defiled him right there. I backed away with a sudden jolt. Forcing my body in the opposite direction of where it wanted to be.

"Okay, so then I'll uh…see you in the massage room…for your massage. I will go there now and get ready for you." I was rambling. It was so attractive.

"Yes, be ready for me," he said still smiling that genuine smile that made me want to kiss him senseless.

Why was he smiling at me like that? Had he no mercy? I practically tripped over my own two feet several times making my way to the door. I just couldn't take my eyes off his.

"Oh and Bella," he called out just as I was about to turn my back on him. "From now on I will be your instructor," he stated firmly.

"You will?" I was stunned that he was willing to take time out of his day to teach me how to be a ninja.

"Yes." He flashed me a charming grin. "No one else," his tone was so inviting I nearly ran back over to him.

"No one else," I repeated his words before dragging myself out the door.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Next up:** Edroar teaches Bella how to be a ninja. Oh my! It's getting physical.

 **Fun Fact** : I survived the flight to Florida….both ways. I may have purchased a wand from Ollivanders…still trying to make my job disappear. No luck yet.

**Stop by** my blog for a glimpse into Edroar's wicked mind, see Bella's round house flop and the smile that had her wanting to defile him on the spot. (Link on profile)

**That's all**  for now folks. Let me know what you think…it's my delicious little snack.


	15. Hips Don't Lie

* * *

_**And I'm on tonight. You know my hips don't lie and I'm starting to feel it's right. All the attraction, the tension, don't you see baby, this is perfection.** _

_**-Shakira, Hips Don't Lie** _

* * *

 

He tried to kill me.

The man frazzled me plenty of times, but I never knew the full extent of his wicked powers, until now. Who would have guessed a genuine smile held more danger than an angry roar?

Yet it did, because it stripped me of all my senses.

By the time I reached the health club I managed to pull myself together. After prepping the massage room I headed to the lobby to kill a few minutes before my boss arrived. Crazy thoughts ran through my mind.

What if he unleashed that smile on me as he lay on the table?

I would have no choice but to violate him on the spot. He had to know that. The oil involved would make his body slippery, causing me to slide right off him onto the floor.

Perhaps I could use the cream instead...then I would stick to him like glue. Caught up with my inner musings I stopped walking, standing still as a statue, staring at a blank wall in the lobby.

"Bella!" A familiar little voice yelled. Big, bright, brown eyes looked up at me.

"Hey, Alex." I smiled at his adorable face. "Where's your dad?"

"He's down the hall. He walks really slow." He shrugged. "My legs are faster than his, plus I ran when I saw you. I couldn't help it."

I laughed until Jake appeared, looking more than a little frustrated.

He sank down to his son's level. "What did I tell you about running away from me?"

"I'm sorry, Dad." He gave his saddest puppy-dog eyes, causing Jake to cave on the spot.

"We're a team, Buddy, remember that. We stick together." He ruffled Alex's spiky black hair before standing up. "Hi, Bella."

"Hi, Jake. How is the book coming along?"

"Good so far. I'm meeting my editor in a few minutes, but Alex wanted to stop by and say hi to you first."

"And invite you to the festival." He jumped with excitement.

"A festival." Mike's aqua silhouette whizzed past me. "Count me in," he cooed at Jake, batting his lashes seductively.

A sudden screech rang out.

We covered our ears instinctively, but it just got louder. Alex didn't fear Jessica anymore…well no more than the rest of us. She dropped to her knees before him and began chirping an extremely odd form of baby talk. His face scrunched up tight, ears completely covered by his hands.

While poking his belly she made creepy animated faces, squawking an indecipherable language. Emmett and Rose appeared beside me, looking concerned, immediately covering their ears as well. The sound was downright painful.

It seemed the agony would never end…until our boss stepped into the room.

He didn't say a single word. He didn't need to. The man's presence alone spoke volumes. Jessica's mouth clamped shut in an instant, her eyes widened like saucers, a neon pink fingernail froze on poor Alex's tiny stomach.

Before anyone could say a word, Alex darted over to Edward with a wide smile on his face.

"Mr. Cullen." He appeared so small standing there before him, staring straight up into his eyes. "Will you come to the festival? They picked me to play the drums at the opening ceremony. I've been practicing. I sound pretty good now."

"What festival are you referring to?" Edward eyed the boy with more interest than he gave most adults.

"Chief Seattle Day, he's a dead guy that led my grandfather's tribe. Our casino helps with the festival."

"I see." Edward ran a finger across his chin. "As a matter of fact, I am a sponsor of that event, but I've never gone. I heard the previous drummers were horrible."

"They're not horrible." He shook his head. "Some of them are really good, better than me." A discouraged frown appeared on his face.

"Well then, I suppose I'll have to be the judge of that."

Alex's frown quickly turned into a blinding smile. "You can sit next to Bella during the ceremony. She's my date."

Edward glanced over at me. "Is she really?"

"Yes." I winked at Alex. "I have a thing for musicians."

Mike coughed out the word cougar from behind Emmett and Rose. I shot him a quick glare before smiling innocently at my boss.

"Is there a reason no one is working?" Anger flashed across Edward's face as his eyes scanned the room.

The gang nearly collided into each other as they jumped into action. Within seconds Jessica plopped in her chair, breathing so heavy it sounded obscene. Emmett scurried away with Mike prancing directly behind him.

Rose remained by my side.

"Oh, look. It's time for me to get to my meeting," Jake announced, breaking some of the tension. He grabbed Alex and scooped him up onto his shoulders. "Say good-bye to your date, Lover Boy."

"Bye, Bella." He waved at me. "Bye, Mr. Cullen." Alex kept waving as Jake ran off to the elevator. The sound of little boy giggles echoed down the hall.

Rose cleared her throat nervously. "I just wanted to uh...tell you, Mr. Cullen, I think your idea for the employees to submit their favorite children's charity and raffling the recipient for the talent show this year will be a great success." She stood stiff as a board.

I just didn't get it. What did she think he would do? Even if he yelled it was just noise, yet Rose's fear of him practically paralyzed her.

"I usually don't favor leaving decisions to chance, but I made an exception in this case."

He didn't react to her frightened demeanor at all. His eyes wandered over to mine and locked there firmly.

"Sometimes fate is unavoidable," Rose's shaky voice noted.

"Indeed." He stared at me intently.

Now I was stiff as a board, but for an entirely different reason. I had to look away from his gripping stare. If I wasn't careful, my ass would be frazzled. My eyes landed on Rose, who glanced back and forth between me and Edward.

"Well I'll just…go...and get to work." She backed away from us slowly, as though she'd seen a ghost.

I smiled up at my boss. "Ready for your massage?"

"Definitely." He smirked wickedly.

"Why do you look so evil?" My smile grew wider.

"Because I am." His words lingered in the air as he walked away.

 

* * *

 

"So I was thinking," I announced to my naked boss, as he lay on the massage table.

He glanced up at me. "Are you going to offer me another deal?"

I scowled. "How did you know that?"

"You have absolutely no poker face." He observed from beneath his crisp white sheet.

"What does that even mean?" I laughed.

"It means I can see you plotting. You want something." Edward's arms stretched out as he settled his body on the table.

"Why must you make it sound so shady? I'm not trying to take anything from you." I grabbed the massage cream holding back a smirk as I completely avoided the oil bottle.

"You want to give me something?"

"Yes." My hands touched down on his warm skin. "Something you need."

"And that is?" His eyes closed as I worked his muscles.

"Nourishment," I told him while massaging a particularly knotted muscle. He grunted in response. "I know you're not eating properly, skipping entire meals, I bet."

When Edward slept during our sessions I developed an attachment to that vulnerable side of him. I thought I preferred it that way. But now that he stayed awake, his responsiveness raised the energy to a much higher level.

"I will provide you with a meal in exchange for each ninja lesson you give me." My hands continued working as he took in my words.

His eyes opened. "Ninja?"

"Yes." I smiled with pride. "I'm extremely spry."

"I saw that earlier," he noted dryly.

"What you saw earlier is called improvisation. I created my own version of the roundhouse kick…that's what ninjas do."

"Is that what that was?" He eyed me as I nodded. "Because it looked like you fell on your ass and couldn't get up."

"That's how I wanted it to appear." My fingers ran down the length of his spine. "If I fooled you I must be even more talented than I thought."

I grinned while working my way down the back of his thighs, Edward's favorite part of the session.

He remained silent until the massage ended. Slowly, his eyes opened. Crystal green irises grabbed mine, not a bit of anger or turmoil in them. That was my favorite part of the session.

"Extremely talented," he said, holding my gaze.

 

* * *

 

We scheduled my first lesson for Monday at five o'clock.

He accepted my proposal without much of a fuss. I negotiated as he relaxed on the table. For each lesson he gave me I would provide him dinner. To my surprise, he even agreed to let me choose the place.

Edward drifted into such a state of Zen I probably could have got him to agree to much more. His staying awake during our sessions definitely worked in my favor. My mind ran through a list of my favorite eating joints, places his snooty ass would surely snub with his nose up high. I couldn't wait to expose his arrogant taste buds to how the other half lived.

Maybe I would even make him a home cooked meal or two.

Though, I would permanently traumatize Angela if she ever came home and found our boss sitting at the dinner table. I couldn't exactly invite myself to his house. I didn't even know if he had a house or an apartment; probably both.

The weekend kept me busy. Saturday afternoon I rehearsed with the gang for the talent show. My friend James, the drummer in Jazz's band, let us use his bar.

We had a lot of work to do.

If enthusiasm counted for anything we didn't have to worry. Never had I seen a group of people so pumped up for a performance in my life…and I use the term performance loosely. Thankfully, we still had a month to somehow pull our act together.

Monday morning came, and I woke with a feeling of excitement. Not just for my lesson, but for what I planned for my boss afterward as well.

At five o'clock I strutted down the hall in my ninja gear; a black sports bra with matching Lycra shorts. My hair held up with a sweatband that said 'Refuse to Lose.' Edward's powerful presence filled the training studio. He gave me a quick once over before walking towards me.

"We'll start with stretches." He pointed to the mat on the floor. "Get on your knees."

My brow arched up at his choice of words, but after taking in his concentrated expression and militant demeanor, I let it slide.

Actually, his trainer attitude surprised me. I didn't plan on taking the lessons too serious. I figured he would attempt showing me a few moves, get aggravated and tell me to go buy mace.

Clearly, my boss had other plans.

His jaw set with steely determination as he explained the importance of knowing how to defend myself in a world full of vile and dangerous assailants. Not only did the man trust no one; he viewed them as a physical threat.

Warped or not, Edward's eagerness to teach me to protect myself from the evil he saw around him, touched me.

No one would describe Edward Cullen as a patient man, but to my surprise he guided me with great patience. He exposed a new side of himself to me. I tried my best not to read too much into it.

The new side of myself I exposed to him surprised me even more. No one would describe me as an obedient woman…ever. Yet, I found myself a highly attentive student, so much so that it bordered on obedience.

That should have scared me, but it didn't.

By the time he tossed me a pair of shiny red boxing gloves, I desperately wanted to learn everything he had to teach me.

We spent well over thirty minutes training before I threw my first real punch. Satisfied that I understood the basics he put on what he called focus pads. His eyes gripped mine intently as he held one up.

"Alright, let's see what you can do." The devious look he gave me would have freaked out most people, but it made me smile.

"Will I be punching and kicking those?"

"Yes."

"Can we put some music on?" The health club had an amazing sound system.

"You don't need music," he said dismissively.

"It will make me feel bad ass." My feet remained firmly in the stance he wanted me in.

"If a homicidal psychopath approaches you on a dark street, will you ask for music before defending yourself?"

"Of course not," I huffed at his ridiculousness. "This is just practice. You're not a homicidal psychopath."

"Some would disagree." He grinned wickedly. "For the sake of this exercise I am. You will view me as a dangerous threat to your life."

"Well, that shouldn't be too difficult," I grumbled under my breath.

And so it began.

Edward militantly gave commands for the jabs and kicks he taught me. I struggled hard at first, which frustrated the hell out of me, but it didn't bother him at all, he just stopped and took the extra time to guide me until I got it right.

Why he considered my lessons so important, I had no idea.

Every time my glove landed on the pad I felt empowered. The brute sound of it echoing through the room pumped me up higher and higher, until I worked myself into a kickboxing frenzy.

Ninja blood ran through my veins...any fool could see that.

Edward never wavered, no matter how hard my blows pounded down on the large, cushioned pads he held out. He stood solid, unrelenting as a brick wall.

Sweat covered my entire body, adrenaline flooded my system, and yet Mr. Homicidal Psychopath barely exerted himself. I bought the sweatband at the sports shop because it made me laugh.

Who knew it would actually serve a purpose?

Exercise never appealed to me. How quickly that changed. Once I discovered the rush you got from kickboxing, I couldn't imagine anything more addictive.

I felt like I could tear down walls, lift cars, climb buildings and possibly even fly. I didn't want it to end.

"NO!" I yelled barbarically, when Edward ordered me to stop.

Stop? There was no stopping? Ninjas didn't stop. Despite his instructions, I continued to throw a slew of solid jabs at him, which he expertly blocked.

In a flash, he pinned my arms down at my sides. I got a stern glare.

"I'm going to assault you." The vein at the base of his throat thumped in anticipation.

"You don't want to do that," I warned, exhaling a deep breath. "I'm a deadly force of nature."

"Bella." He released my arms. "Be serious."

"I am being serious." Did he not just witness my super human powers?

"We'll start off easy." He tossed the focus pads on the floor. "I'll come at you from behind. Obviously, I don't expect you to bring me down. I just want you to try getting away from me."

"I will bring you down." My gloves smashed together, echoing like thunder.

He smirked at me, as if the mere thought humored him. Oh, now it was on. I would show no mercy.

"Alright, Mr. Smirky," I taunted. "How about this, if I bring you down I get one question. No boundaries and you must answer it."

"You are being ridiculous." He moved in closer. "Taking me down is not a possibility."

"Oh yeah? Then why haven't you agreed to my deal. Are you scared of this?" My big, red thumbs pointed at my chest.

His brow arched. "You seriously think you can take me down?"

"I do."

"And if you don't?" His smirk disappeared.

"If I don't?" I repeated, not sure where he was going with his question.

"What do I get when I take you down?" The predatory look in his eyes for some God forsaken reason excited me.

"Oh," I pulled my gaze from his. "You get to answer my question."

He snorted in my face. "No deal."

"Fine." I rolled my eyes. "What do you want?"

"Such a dangerous question," he paused. "What are you willing to give me?"

"Such a dangerous question," I threw his words back. "How about this, in the unlikely event you take me down, you can ask me anything and I promise to answer honestly?"

"Nah." He yawned to show his disinterest.

"What? That is a fair deal," I argued. He shrugged and yawned again. "Alright then, tell me what you want."

"I want you to finish what you started on the plane."

My brain ran that sentence over at least five times before I found the ability to respond.

"What I started on the plane?"

"Yes."

"Could you be more specific?"

"You fed me a delicious little snack." He lowered his lips to my ear. "I enjoyed it….immensely."

His hands reached down to my boxing gloves, he pulled each one off and tossed them on the floor.

"You did?"

He nodded.

"Did you?" he asked with interest.

"Yes," I admitted, unable to hide my excitement.

"Good." He smiled, the genuine one, with a shot of sex thrown in. "Because I'm still hungry."

I didn't respond. I couldn't. I just stared at his lips. The bastard unleashed his smile when I least expected it.

The tip of his finger guided my chin up until our eyes met. "Will you feed me?"

He rendered me mute, so I nodded in response.

"Tonight," he said. "I want you to feed me a full meal."

My lips moved to his ear. "I will feed you until you beg me to stop."

Two could play his game. Granted he could watch me smile without going dumb. That gave him a slight advantage, but he would not defeat me.

"I never beg," he warned, "ever."

"We'll see about that." I kept my eyes on his. I wouldn't make the mistake of looking at his lips again until he hit the floor.

He stepped away from me. "Are you ready?"

Nodding my head, I gave him my most bad ass stare.

Then he pounced.

Even though I expected it, he still managed to catch me off guard. Panic swept over me in waves. Why couldn't I remember a damn thing he taught me?

Just as I was about to beg for mercy my ninja blood kicked in. I could have easily got away from him, but I wanted to take him down. I would take him down.

He blocked each jab and kick I attempted as though my moves were predictable. It probably should have discouraged me, but it only made me more determined.

I don't know how long it took for me to realize he hadn't moved an inch. He just stood there swatting me away like a pesky bug. This enraged me.

"You are going down, Lion!" I flung myself at him, throwing every bit of my training out the window.

He caught me without faltering. I hoped the brute force of my body landing on his would have knocked him over. It didn't. Now I needed a new plan. I didn't have a new plan.

In an act of sheer desperation I started tickling him. As my headband stated, I refused to lose. He would go down one way or another.

I tickled the back of his neck first. When I got no response I moved my fingers down to his sides. My legs remained wrapped around his waist for leverage.

"Are you serious?" He tried plucking my body from his, but I just locked my legs tighter around him.

My fingers ran all over his body. He had to be ticklish somewhere. His hands were quite busy as well, the more he tried detaching my hips from his the stronger I ground against him.

I found myself dry humping my boss with fervor, but this time I had a valid reason. He would go down, by any means possible.

My body hadn't moved that vigorously against a man in quite some time, probably ever, which said a lot. Not to brag, but my hips had been known to put Shakira to shame.

"Fuck," he grunted, his hands pulled me closer to my surprise.

That word coming from his lips set my body on fire.

I wanted him down on the mat for an entirely different reason now. Based on the look in his eyes he did too. The man had the ability to demand sex without saying a word. He made me want to do bad things to him.

So I did.

The gyration attack I unleashed on his body was probably illegal in several states. We groaned from the intensity of it. I couldn't stop myself though. The distinct feel of his need made itself known…painfully close to where I wanted it.

Get him on the floor. Get him on the floor. Get him on the floor.

The words ran through my mind continuously as my fingers desperately searched his body for a ticklish spot. He stopped trying to pull me off him. In fact, his fingers began exploring my body, completely distracting me from my goal.

I nearly gave up when it happened; his stomach muscles contracted and he squirmed in place as my fingertips brushed behind his ears. An evil grin spread across my face.

He knew I had him.

Just as I went in for the kill my back landed flat against the mat. He brought me down in a nanosecond. His body felt solid and warm covering mine. The sudden action took my breath away. I looked up into his eyes. Never had I seen them so feral.

"You are impossible." He had my wrists pinned above my head. I lay there completely at his mercy and by the looks of it he liked the situation.

"How did you do that?" I didn't even try to hide the awe I had for his skills.

"Quite easily." His mouth moved closer to mine. "Who knew a ninja could be such a wimp?"

"A wimp?" My jaw dropped. "You're just upset I found your weakness, but thank you for recognizing my ninja ability."

"I have no weaknesses." His fingers gripped my wrists tighter.

"If you say so." My eyes rolled.

"Don't push me," a low growl coated his words.

Just like that he morphed into the Lion. I wondered if he had any control over his animalistic tendencies. It seemed I had no control over bringing them out.

"You love it when I push you." I smiled up at him. "Admit it."

"I assure you I do not love anything." His gaze ran over my face as he contemplated my words. "Love is the greatest weakness of all."

The raw honesty in his voice made me frown. Someone hurt him deeply. Had Edward been in love and suffered a broken heart? My gut told me no, the man never even had a friend.

Wrapped up in my thoughts, I didn't notice he released my wrists. Edward appeared lost in thought as well.

"What time should I pick you up tonight?" I changed the subject, hating to see him in pain.

It took so long to for him to respond I expected him to back out of our dinner plans.

"I'll send a car for you at eight." He pulled his body away from mine.

"No, we agreed I would take you out for dinner after each lesson. I'll pick you up at eight; just give me your address."

He shot me a peculiar look. "I have a limo and a private driver."

"Yes, I know." I sat up, bringing us face to face. "I have a vintage Chevy and a driver's license."

"You want to drive me to dinner?" This information seemed mind blowing to him.

"I do." Not only would my boss see how the other half ate, but how they rolled...in a beat up old truck.

"Very well." He shook his head in bafflement. "I'll text you the address when I get back to my office."

"Excellent." I grinned at my victory. "I look forward to it."

"Good." He helped me rise to my feet and threw me a wicked grin. "Not nearly as much I look forward to collecting on our bet."

I stood there blinking like a moron. "You still want me to…uh…feed you?" I whispered the last two words.

"Absolutely." A spark light up his eyes. "As I recall you vowed to feed me until I begged you to stop."

"But that was when I thought I would take you down." He couldn't be serious.

"A deal is a deal." His eyes roamed the length of my body. "I must admit you make me quite hungry. I expect you to pay up…tonight." The smug bastard had the nerve to say before walking away from me.

 

* * *

 

My first lesson didn't go quite as expected.

In the course of an hour I managed to dry hump my boss, again, and proposition him for a night of incredible sex. I consistently outdid myself. That would have impressed me if I wasn't a self destructive masochist.

In spite of it all, I found myself looking forward to bringing him out to dinner.

No one else saw it, but I knew Edward had good in him. He had a wicked side as well…a very wicked side. Sometimes I wondered which side attracted me more.

With one hand I could count the number of men I slept with, none of them one night stands. Just the thought of it turned me off. As I told Jazz a thousand times, casual sex was not my thing.

Yet, I eagerly agreed to do just that…with my boss.

Surely a greater fool did not exist. How could I possibly justify giving myself to a man that shunned love and friendship?

He made people cry on a daily basis.

It had to be him of all people to spark a fire so intense it would consume me if I didn't watch my step. Our chemistry nearly killed me several times already.

I may not have won the bet, but he would answer my questions at dinner and I had many. As I raced home to shower and get ready I second guessed the place I chose to bring him.

My fingers drummed the steering wheel as I waited for the light at the corner of my street to turn green. Perhaps I should go easy on him our first dinner.

No, it would be perfect, I decided as I slammed the loud, creaky, rusted door of my truck.

The night would certainly be interesting. A sane woman would worry more about his expectations after dinner, yet for some reason that didn't concern me at all.

Proving once again, sanity was not a strong point of mine.

While unlocking the door to my apartment my phone chimed. I had a text. My heart raced...over a text. What the hell was wrong with me?

Yikes hissed as I tripped over her on my way to the kitchen. Immediately I dropped my purse and bent down to pet her. She swatted at me, claws fully extended, bright yellow eyes daring me to touch her. My pussy held a grudge like no one else.

As she strutted off I reached in my purse for my phone. Edward probably came to his senses and cancelled our plans.

_813 Overlook Drive, Medina._

He wanted this. What 'this' was, I had no idea. Based on the ridiculous smile on my face I wanted it too. Then I noticed the address.

_You live in Medina?_

I scoffed at the screen as I sent the text.

_Yes. It's where all the Fat Cats live. Get over here. I'm starving._

The sound of giggles filled the room. It freaked me out since I only giggled when I was high.

"What's so funny?" Angela stood in the doorway. When the hell did she get home? I didn't hear her come in the front door.

"Oh, nothing." I straightened my expression as I cleared my throat. "I was just reading a text."

"I can see that." She smirked. "Is it from a boy?"

The thought of anyone calling Edward a boy made me laugh. I shook my head at her confused face.

"He's definitely not a boy." I hated liars, so decided to be honest. "It's from Edward."

"Edward?" She looked even more confused. "How did you meet him?"

"He's our boss." I watched as she absorbed my words.

"Wait…Mr. Cullen sent you a funny text?" Her eyes couldn't get any wider.

"Yeah, it made me laugh. He can be funny sometimes. He's not the monster everyone thinks he is." I tried to come off casual, but sounded defensive.

"Why is he texting you after hours?"

"To give me his address." I glanced at my watch. "I'm picking him up for dinner at eight."

She burst out laughing. "Oh my God, Bella. You get me every time. I actually believed you for a second. You looked so serious."

"I am serious." I headed for my room. "We have a deal. He teaches me self defense and I take him out to dinner every Monday. I have to get ready or I'll be late."

Poor Angela, I left her standing in our hall dumbfounded. Thank God I didn't tell her the full extent of our deal or she might have passed out.

After a quick shower I threw on my favorite faded, denim skirt and The Clash Punks on Parade t-shirt. My tights had runs all over them.

I briefly wondered if they were too much, but the outfit lost its vibe without them. The whole point of the night was to show Edward how the other half lived.

Not everyone wore couture and drank champagne.

Rips and imperfections were a part of life. Why would I hide that? Besides I definitely fit in where we were going. Him on the other hand, probably not.

Lacing up my black, worn Chucks I decided to give him a heads up. I grabbed my phone and typed out a quick text.

_What are you wearing?_

His response lit up my screen seconds later.

_Happy Hands costume_

Rolling my eyes I fought off a goofy grin as I typed my reply.

_It's not a costume. It's a uniform. Dress casual. I'll be there at eight._

Tossing my phone in my bag I wondered what casual for him would look like. Hopefully he wouldn't feel too out of place. Then I realized the man survived a night at The Box…barely. He could handle it. Except tonight I wanted him to have a good time.

He taught me how to be a ninja and now I would teach him to have fun.

As my GPS guided me along the open road I turned the radio up and opened my window, letting my hair blow in the cool, fall breeze, losing myself in the music.

I always lost myself in music.

The next thing I knew the voice of my wonder gadget told me I reached my destination. As my not so quiet truck chugged up the driveway I turned the radio down. I needed a new muffler…bad. Sitting in my beat up old Chevy I took in my surroundings.

He could not be serious.

 


End file.
